Family's first airconditioned car

[pulltostart]

Scoops

I don't think the scoops on that '59 Cadillac were functional at all. Back in the early days of GM air conditioning, when the blower was in the trunk there would typically be a pair of scoops on the rear fenders (one per side), they provided fresh air to the blower unit. Most of the time the scoops were right behind the "C" pillar, but in 1954 Oldsmobile had them just ahead of the tail lights.

lawrence

 

[whirlaway]

59 Cadillac

Those side scoops did nothing,that car was tacky in 59.Those cars were out of style by 63,no one would be caught dead in one.A 63 or 64 were nice looking cars,refined just enough! All factory trunk ac had outside scoops,usually by the rear window and dual air 60s and 70s limos.That was the big mistake Cadillac made in 77 when they downsized their limos the front unit just couldnt handle the whole car,the funeral home my dad was with had to have rear units put in them,it was kinda the beginning of the fall of Cadillacs.

 

[countryford]

As others have said, the scoops on the 59 Caddy were not fuctional. However it was only the 59 Cadillac Fleetwood that had those scoops. The other 59 Cadillacs (Eldorado, de Ville, Series 62) did not have them.

 

[pulltostart]

Cadillac Scoops

Here is a link to a site about an air conditioned 1955 Cadillac. This was the typical early GM A/C setup, illustrating the fresh air scoops and the interior distribution.

lawrence

http://www.airlinearchives.com/55cadac.html

 

[circlew]

The first air conditioned car we had was my dad's uncle's '64 Cadillac Sedan DeVille, which we got after he got a new '72 model. He had loaned it to us for long trips from the time he got it.

The first car my family bought new with AC was a '73 Buick Electra Limited; was a very nice car until it was badly damaged after it caught fire in the driveway, in June of '80. That was the end of it.

 

[cuffs054]

Rp2813, my Biscayne was a gift from an uncle who was given it by another uncle! It too had the manual tune radio, no tinted glass, not even an oil filter! It was a two door bubble top that I drove while I was in college. I sold it in 1969 to a young couple with a new born child. The husband got teary eyed when I agreed to hs offer. They really needed a vehicle. Since I was on a roll I immediately went and bought this 1969 Lincoln hat I HAD to have. What a friggin mistake that was!

 

[harpon]

Dad got a used '67 Cadillac Sedan Deville about 1968 I guess- that was the family's first. The first I RODE in was a neighbor's Mustang about 1966.

I recall buying used cars throughout my own life, and usually the thousand dollar ones I got had A/C that was non functioning- and I didn;t need it much then.

Now I'm amazed at how often the A/C is still working in older cars these days.

but I like to take it all off if the systems shot- one less belt pulley, and a lot of weight to not carry around- the motor gets better airflow.

just yesterday I was looking at the A/C on my 95 Escort wagon- which is working but needs some freon- and I noticed that if I ever wanted to take the compressor off- then a shorter stupid serpentine belt would not clear the area on the side of the motor where the tensioner sits- it would be a major project to replace the belt with one shorter - and I'm too old for those-

so the bottom line is, if the compressor fails- it still has to sit there and turn the bearings and tensioner- selling me more gasoline, which I find quite iritating, because I know the intent and careful engineering built into it just for that purpose- when i could always just pull it off and use a smaller belt on other cars in the past.

I'd likely get it fixed though- here in Florida. Haven't gotten it registered and on the road though, after a water pump and timing belt installation. If you park a car here for a bit, they want you to turn in your plate-DUMB!
Like to drive it soon.