What was your family's first and was it factory or add on? Does anyone have experience with early systems that ran the compressor all the time? The Chrysler Imperial collectors site has neat service manuals going back to '53.
Family's first airconditioned car
- Thread starter cuffs054
- Start date
Help Support :
My families first car with factory A/C…..
was a 1968 Pontiac Tempest Custom Hardtop Coupe….PAT COFFEY
was a 1968 Pontiac Tempest Custom Hardtop Coupe….PAT COFFEY
twintubdexter
Well-known member
None of the family cars and pickups had air conditioning. The first car I can remember riding in that had air was the Frigidaire Factory Rep's 1964 Impala, furnished free of course courtesy of his employer. There were 3 dash vents, 2 ball and 1 rectangular in the center. You couldn't have been cooler if you were in Siberia. I realized right then and there that next to a car stereo, this was a must-have item.
Volkswagen 411
Our first car with air conditioning was the 1972 Volkswagen 411. This car is mostly forgotten today, but it was VW's attempt to modernize the old Beetle and make it acceptable to a modern buyer, since by the late 60s the writing was on the wall and the beetle was on borrowed time.
They were generally good cars, but had issues with the fuel injection, which could be cranky. The entire line of air cooled cars had to be scrapped when more stringent air standards came into effect, which an air cooled engine cannot possibly meet.
As for the air conditioning... we lived in Southern California where it was needed perhaps 5 days a year. I never remember it running.
Our first car with air conditioning was the 1972 Volkswagen 411. This car is mostly forgotten today, but it was VW's attempt to modernize the old Beetle and make it acceptable to a modern buyer, since by the late 60s the writing was on the wall and the beetle was on borrowed time.
They were generally good cars, but had issues with the fuel injection, which could be cranky. The entire line of air cooled cars had to be scrapped when more stringent air standards came into effect, which an air cooled engine cannot possibly meet.
As for the air conditioning... we lived in Southern California where it was needed perhaps 5 days a year. I never remember it running.
whirlcool
Well-known member
My mothers 1967 Chevy Caprice was the first car they had with factory air. It was cold too. That center vent at the top of the dash really put out the air.
I think it was 1966 when more cars were being sold with air conditioning than any time before that.
My first car with factory air was my 1970 Cougar XR-7. The air was not as cold as the air in my mothers car, but after awhile it cooled you down.
I think it was 1966 when more cars were being sold with air conditioning than any time before that.
My first car with factory air was my 1970 Cougar XR-7. The air was not as cold as the air in my mothers car, but after awhile it cooled you down.
You're right about the early fuel injection, scoots. We had a VW Squareback and at idle, in winter, it would rev up and down without anybody touching the throttle.
Our 1961 Mercedes 220S had add-on under dash AC. I remember my dad getting it off a junked '55 Chevy. The York compressor ran all the time. On long trips the coils would freeze over and you'd have to turn it off 30 minutes or so to defrost. Thus was in the mid-Sixties.
American cars had much better AC and heating than European ones in those days, and even well into the Seventies. [this post was last edited: 7/4/2014-16:42]
Our 1961 Mercedes 220S had add-on under dash AC. I remember my dad getting it off a junked '55 Chevy. The York compressor ran all the time. On long trips the coils would freeze over and you'd have to turn it off 30 minutes or so to defrost. Thus was in the mid-Sixties.
American cars had much better AC and heating than European ones in those days, and even well into the Seventies. [this post was last edited: 7/4/2014-16:42]
Our first was a 1978 Chevrolet Malibu station wagon. After that, there was no going back. The next car purchased was a 1987 Dodge Dakota pick-up and I nearly fell off my chair when my father told me he wasn't going to buy another non-airconditioned car!
norgeway
Well-known member
66 Cutlass
It was cold as ice, Moms Sister had a 63 Super 88 and it was also cold as ice, that got Mom hooked on Oldsmobile.
It was cold as ice, Moms Sister had a 63 Super 88 and it was also cold as ice, that got Mom hooked on Oldsmobile.
polkanut
Well-known member
<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 12pt;">Our first a/c car was a 1977 Chevy Impala w/ cruise control too. Only an AM radio though. Our 1981 Caprice was our first car to have an AM/FM radio, but no tape player.</span>
1965 Ford Galaxy
My Dad (who was on the road all week as a salesman) traded his 1965 Mustang (early production) for a 1965 Galaxy as he found the Mustang too small - especially the trunk. The 1965 Galaxy had what I think was dealer installed air - a Ford unit that hung under the dash with four "eyeball" vents. This was when we lived in Nebraska.
My first car - a 1974 Honda Civic (purchased new) had no air and I vowed I would never again have a car without air - especially here in California! Next car was a 1980 Honda Accord LX - with air!
My Dad (who was on the road all week as a salesman) traded his 1965 Mustang (early production) for a 1965 Galaxy as he found the Mustang too small - especially the trunk. The 1965 Galaxy had what I think was dealer installed air - a Ford unit that hung under the dash with four "eyeball" vents. This was when we lived in Nebraska.
My first car - a 1974 Honda Civic (purchased new) had no air and I vowed I would never again have a car without air - especially here in California! Next car was a 1980 Honda Accord LX - with air!
I don't think any of our cars were A/C in the 50's and 60's ('56 Ford, '50 Chevy, '47 Plymouth), and my first car with AC was in 1997 with a Dodge Neon. Tell the truth, it's not really necessary most of the year around here, until one ventures into the eastern valleys. Nice to have to get condensation away from windshield, though. Since then the AC on the Neon has lived up to its built-to-a-price heritage, and the refrigerant seems to leak out every few months. Not a big deal since it's been parked waiting for a new rear main seal.
Ah yes
1966 Plymouth Sports Fury 2 door w/Torqueflite and the famous 383 Golden Commando 4 bbl carb. The RV2 compressor was and still is IMHO, the absolute finest, best performing, most durable underhood A/C compressor ever made. Bar none.
My first A/C car was a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba sans the fine Coreentheean leather. Came with a smog choked 360 but like the 66 above, had the RV2 compressor sitting high and proud in the V of the engine.
1966 Plymouth Sports Fury 2 door w/Torqueflite and the famous 383 Golden Commando 4 bbl carb. The RV2 compressor was and still is IMHO, the absolute finest, best performing, most durable underhood A/C compressor ever made. Bar none.
My first A/C car was a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba sans the fine Coreentheean leather. Came with a smog choked 360 but like the 66 above, had the RV2 compressor sitting high and proud in the V of the engine.
Always.
Near all of my family's cars have had AC as long as I have been around. I was brought home from the hospital in a nearly-new 1981 gray Volkswagen Rabbit LS Diesel with ice cold AC. We also had 2 1975 Lincoln Continental Towncars with ice cold AC that was remarkably quiet. My mother's 1974 Mercury Capri had no AC, but it was replaced in 1985 with a 1975 Volvo 244 DL with AC. The Volvo's AC died a few years later and wasn't fixed.
My 1987 Volvo 240 GL has AC and it works too. The heater will burn you alive, but the AC is hardly adequate. It's better than nothing, and I like saying I have a 27 year old car with working AC, but it just wasn't a well thought out system.
Dave
Near all of my family's cars have had AC as long as I have been around. I was brought home from the hospital in a nearly-new 1981 gray Volkswagen Rabbit LS Diesel with ice cold AC. We also had 2 1975 Lincoln Continental Towncars with ice cold AC that was remarkably quiet. My mother's 1974 Mercury Capri had no AC, but it was replaced in 1985 with a 1975 Volvo 244 DL with AC. The Volvo's AC died a few years later and wasn't fixed.
My 1987 Volvo 240 GL has AC and it works too. The heater will burn you alive, but the AC is hardly adequate. It's better than nothing, and I like saying I have a 27 year old car with working AC, but it just wasn't a well thought out system.
Dave
The first air-conditioned car that my family had was a 1965 Galaxie 500 4-door hardtop; light yellow with a light brown interior. Ford's first year for fully-integrated air conditioning with 4 outlets distributed across the instrument panel. It cooled very well and featured the flo-thru ventilation with a vacuum operated vent built into the parcel shelf below the rear window. I still love the styling of that car!
The first air-conditioned car that I personally owned was a 1964 Galaxie 500 4-door sedan; again, light yellow with tan interior. What a bomb of a car! It had a 352 engine with a 4 bbl carb and 3-speed automatic - terribly underpowered - and Ford's idea of "factory air-conditioning" in 1964 was still a below-the-dash unit.
The oldest air-conditioned car that I have owned was my 1961 Buick Invicta Custom 4-door hardtop; silver with black, full-leather interior. Fabulous car.
The first air-conditioned car that I personally owned was a 1964 Galaxie 500 4-door sedan; again, light yellow with tan interior. What a bomb of a car! It had a 352 engine with a 4 bbl carb and 3-speed automatic - terribly underpowered - and Ford's idea of "factory air-conditioning" in 1964 was still a below-the-dash unit.
The oldest air-conditioned car that I have owned was my 1961 Buick Invicta Custom 4-door hardtop; silver with black, full-leather interior. Fabulous car.
whirlcool
Well-known member
You are right about Chrysler products of the 60's having the coldest air. My Dad rented a 1964 Dodge Monaco while his car was in the shop for something. We did a few family outings in it and it didn't take long before everyone was asking him to turn the a/c down as we all were freezing, even in the back seat. I noticed at a gas station stop the compressor said "Chrysler AirTemp" on it.
Now my 2005 X5 has some pretty darned cold air in it. It'll cool you down in only a few blocks. And I have never had a single repair done to it, so it's very reliable. I had a 1994 Ford Explorer Sport that had horrible air. The air came out of the vents pretty cold, but the vents were very small and the fan did not blow as hard as some other cars I owned. Then it had to deal with the huge cargo area that would build up heat. I think if Ford had made the vents larger and put in a stronger fan it would have been much better.
Now my 2005 X5 has some pretty darned cold air in it. It'll cool you down in only a few blocks. And I have never had a single repair done to it, so it's very reliable. I had a 1994 Ford Explorer Sport that had horrible air. The air came out of the vents pretty cold, but the vents were very small and the fan did not blow as hard as some other cars I owned. Then it had to deal with the huge cargo area that would build up heat. I think if Ford had made the vents larger and put in a stronger fan it would have been much better.
First air conditioned car
My grandmothers 1961 Oldsmobile Super 88. They bought this in December of 1960. I have owned it since July of 1978. The air conditioning is wonderful in this car. It has the original Frigidaire A-5 compressor. I replaced all the rubber o rings in the lines, rebuilt the hot gas bypass valve, and replaced the receiver dryer, then had it evacuated and recharged with R12 just this year. Cool as a mountain top! Just drove home in it about an hour ago, with the A/C on of course..
My grandmothers 1961 Oldsmobile Super 88. They bought this in December of 1960. I have owned it since July of 1978. The air conditioning is wonderful in this car. It has the original Frigidaire A-5 compressor. I replaced all the rubber o rings in the lines, rebuilt the hot gas bypass valve, and replaced the receiver dryer, then had it evacuated and recharged with R12 just this year. Cool as a mountain top! Just drove home in it about an hour ago, with the A/C on of course..
toploader55
Well-known member
1968 Olds '98
Fridgidaire Compressor .
We did have a add on A/C on our 1966 Ford Fairlane Station Wagon. Thermo King. It was provided by a auto supply store in our area.
Ice Cold Air, but taxed the crap out of the front end and the 318 motor. But like I said Ice Cold Air. On 1966 what the hell ???
Fridgidaire Compressor .
We did have a add on A/C on our 1966 Ford Fairlane Station Wagon. Thermo King. It was provided by a auto supply store in our area.
Ice Cold Air, but taxed the crap out of the front end and the 318 motor. But like I said Ice Cold Air. On 1966 what the hell ???
toploader55
Well-known member
Oh, My Dear Darlin' Baby Jesus....
Rick,
My Dad's friend had the same Olds. With Ice Cold Air. Good God , What a Beautiful Car.
Keep that beauty for ever
Rick,
My Dad's friend had the same Olds. With Ice Cold Air. Good God , What a Beautiful Car.
Keep that beauty for ever
