Cruise-O-Matic: Part Twelve

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

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A/C:

Yes, Cadillac had it by 1950 also. I think Thermador in California made a side window mounted one also.
Kaiser Frazier was in Willow Run Michigan, and also made the Henry J car, which Sears sold for a while as the Allsate car.
Willy's Overland owned Jeep before AMC, so some are confused by that.
Nash and Hudson merged to become AMC, they came out with Rambler.
Kaiser and Willy's were affiliated then merged with Frazier before liquidating.
GM bought the Willow Run plant in 1954 when their Livonia Hydramatic plant burned to the ground. They added an assembly plant in 1960 to make Corvair's, then the Chevy II. The final product was the 1991 Chevrolet Caprice.
The Hydramatic facility closed last decade.
Toledo Ohio Hydramatic, and Punch Powerglide in Strasbourg France make the 650 LE automatics. Strasbourg also builds the ZF HP 850, as it is no longer owned by GM.
 
Air Conditioning meant something different in 1949

The term Air Conditioning was used differently in the 1930’s and 1940’s then it is now. After doing a quick check on the internet it seems that Frazer referred to their fresh air heater in their cars as an air conditioner, which it is in the fact that it conditions the air and makes it warmer. Back in those days they also used to call warm air furnaces winter air conditioners too. As for Cadillac offering A/C in their 1950 models Vacerator, Cadillac offered A/C right before WW2 (as did Packard) and then did not offer it again until 1953 at which time it also became an option for Buick and Oldsmobile with Pontiac getting it as an option on the 1954 8 cylinder models and Chevy getting it as an option on the V8 models starting in 1955. Kaiser-Frazer was formed in 1945 from the remnants of what was the pre war company known as Graham-Paige (some of the very early Kaiser Frazer ads say that Kaiser Frazer was firmly known as Graham Paige). The Frazer was discontinued after 1951 and the Henry J was introduced that year. The Allstate version of the Henry J was sold by Sears stores and catalog stores in the south and southwest with eventual plans to expand nationwide had the car been successful. All Allstate's had Allstate tires, plugs, and batteries. Kaiser merged with Willys Overland (pronounced WILL-IS not WILL-EES the 1954 commercial below proves that) in 1953 and then became known as Kaiser Willys. Willys and Kaiser cars were last made in the US in 1955 after which there dies were sent to Kaisers South American affiliate where they were made untouched until about 1962. By 1960 Kaiser Willys had been renamed Kaiser-Jeep which it remained until AMC bought Jeep from Kaiser in February 1970. Nash-Kelvinator brought out Rambler for 1950 4 years before they merged with Hudson to become AMC which happened on May 1, 1954. Nash chose the name Rambler to honor the early 1900’s Rambler model (as seen in an ad above) that was made by the Thomas B.Jeffery Automobile Co. which Charles Nash took over after leaving his post as President of GM and renamed Nash in 1917. Nash merged with Kelvinator in 1937 to get the services of Kelvinator’s president George Mason.I am sorry to go on and on but vintage cars are a very big passion for me and I like to make sure the history is as complete as can be....I guess I am a little compulsive eh? LOL....PAT COFFEY

 
Believe Nash was the first automobile with cowl-based air conditioning (Kelvinator apparently helped them develop it). Other vehicles had the evaporator in the trunk (you can tell because they have the clear tubes in the back window and/or air scoops on the fenders to cool off the evaporator).
 
Jamiel you were right on ALL accounts

Nash introduced the first fresh air heating system in a car in 1937 with their famous Weather Eye system. That name was used into the 1970’s by AMC for their cars heaters too. Nash also was the first company to put all the A/C components under the hood starting in 1954 and you were right that it was because of the work done by Kelvinator...PAT COFFEY
 
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