Oldest working automotive AC?

[volvoguy87]

The 1st car with AC thread got me thinking about car air conditioners. The AC system on a car is usually expensive to repair when something fails beyond simply needing a recharge. As a car gets older, most folks won't make a major AC repair. Since cars made prior to 1993 used R12 refrigerant which is no longer in production, and VERY expensive, a conversion to R134a is nearly always necessary, and not cheap either.

Who here knows of older cars with still-functioning air conditioning systems? Yes, an R134a retrofit is acceptable, as are new parts. I'm not interested in an old car with a new-production add-on AC system, but more interested in the AC system as intended by the factory. A vintage add-on AC system would be acceptable, provided that is period appropriate to the production of the vehicle.

Here's my entry:
27 years old.
My 1987 Volvo 240 GL has working AC. It has been converted to R134a.

Whose cars kelvinate?
Dave

 

[whirlcool]

You can still find R-12 at automotive a/c repair shops and on Ebay. Or if you are close to Mexico it's relatively easy to find there.

A better replacement for R-12 is R-414B. It doesn't require any valve or seal replacement in an r-12 unit. It's a drop in replacement.

I knew a major car collector that owns Dean Martin's 1966 Pontiac Grand Prix. It still has the original factory air and it still works.

 

[rickr]

.

My 61 Oldsmobile, see other thread...

 

[stan]

My

73 olds still works. But it has been converted from R12. My old GE fridge show in the second pic, is still working, it was converted from R12 to 409a.

 

[washdaddy]

Rick-
If that picture is of your Olds currently all I can say is that it looks better than fresh off the showroom floor. It looks absolutely amazing. Great job on keep it so pristine!

Rick

 

[philr]

The oldest I have is my 1967 Riviera GS, with a Frigidaire A6 compressor of course! This car didn't have factory A/C but I bought an identical parts car with factory A/C. I removed it from a parts car who also donated some parts of it's engine back in 2002 and it's been working good since. It's been converted to R-134 and I didn't even change the hoses from the parts car. The conversion also required to replace the engine pulleys, the alternator, to modify the firewall as there was one extra hole in cars without a/c that needed to be blocked. The recirculation air door and tube also had to be installed where the passenger side floor vent used to be and I blocked the driver side floor vent and replaced both kick panels with those from the A/C car. Also needed to add a few things like a water valve for the heater core (the non-A/C cars don't have one) and wiring under the hood.  I did install a new condenser and dryer, replace the compressor seal and replace the liquid line that was broken in two parts. Not bad considering the donor car had been parked with the engine, compressor and condenser removed since 1985!

 

The a/c is still charged with R-12 and working good in my 1975 Electra (also with a Frigidaire A6 compressor), this one also has the automatic control that works very well. While the first automatic a/c systems were a bit troublesome (in fact, some were more than a bit!), GM had made them very reliable by 1975.

 

The a/c still works well in my 1993 Toyota pickup with 205,000 miles. I had to replace the condenser and recharge with R-134 instead of R-12 at 145,000 miles 4 years ago and didn't have an issue since. BTW, 1993 was the transition year for R12 to R-134, a friend of mine has a 1993 Toyota T-100 that was built before my 1993 pickup and it was charged at the factory with R-134 while mine was charged with R-12. Most manufacturers also converted their systems to R-134 in 1993-94 so that's already 20 years ago!

 

In my newest car, a not-so-new 2001 Camry, I had to replace the condenser twice in two years (and the previous owner also had it replaced) but for now, it's working!  

[this post was last edited: 7/4/2014-23:51]

 

[stan]

Rick

Do you happen to have pic of the interiors, and or engine compartment that you could share?
Beautiful car!

 

[supersuds]

I used to belong to the Lincoln & Continental Owners Club and attended a meet where someone had a 1954 Lincoln Capri with working factory AC. It was the kind that had the gawky plastic tubes over the package shelf. That's the oldest I've seen but it is certainly possible there are others that are older. Packard sold a few such installations prewar and somebody somewhere has probably got one running.

 

[stan]

I remember

my aunt drove. 59 pontiac that did not have A/C but she had this strange swamp cooler that fit over the the transmission hump. Shed put ice in, and it plugged into the cigarette lighter. On a long trip, she'd have her ice and soft drinks in it, and cool air blowing!
Never seen one since, and don't know what it was called.
Anyone?

Sorry it's a little off topic, but the thread made me think of it.

 

[arbilab]

I LOVE those early 60s GM cars. Dream car is 62 Pontiac Catalina hardtop with 63 transmission (62 was a dog in Pontiacs and they're bolt-compatible).

My 86 Celica works fine, still R-12, on only its second charge. The discharge O-ring hardened from heat in the early 00s and leaked. I got it fixed before it quit altogether. So the system is completely original except the O-ring and fractional leaked charge. Shxt, my FREON is older than most peoples' car.

 

[norgeway]

I knew a doctor

In my hometown,who bought a 55 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman new with factory air, when he died around 2000 , his wife sold his car...the ac still worked, and had never had a drop of freon added...it had a monstrous compressor with a sight glass built into it...and of course a Hemi engine!

 

[thor]

1953 Chrysler Limo

In the local version of ebay there's a 1953 Chrysler Limousine with dactory air. Asking price is a ridiculous US$ 18,500!

http://auto.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-512683639-auto-antiguo-de-coleccionchrysler-imperial-limosina-_JM

 

[westie2]

Stan yes I have seen the ones like your aunts.  Had an uncle and aunt that had one in their 1957 Pontiac Chieftain  In the 1953 Chrysler Windsor my folks had we had the swamp cooler one that hung on the passenger side window.  Had a pull cord to adjust the airflow.  ad liked but mom hated it.  She is the one that wanted the real air in the next car.

 

 

 

[whirlaway]

Hi! Thats a 54 Imperial

I have a 54 Imperial 4dr,they only made around 4,000 in 54.The big Crown Imp came with factory air that year standard,and they were R-22 in 53&54.Thanks!

 

[cuffs054]

Whirl, would love to see pics. Before I die I will have a 1955 Imperial Crown with factory ac.

 

[whirlaway]

54 Imp

Hi! I dont have the big crown Imp I was referring to the pic some one had posted as a 53,its a 54.I have the model under that one.They also had a town sedan that came with fac air.Mine has all of the options but air.It would be nice to find a unit for mine.54 Chryslers& Desotos are some of the best driving cars ever built.I drove a 54 Desoto Firedome to Calif from Va in 3 days from Va,I never got tired driving that car,they seemed to be such a nice balanced car to drive.I drove a 57 Desoto Fireflite from Calif to Va I thought my butt was going to fall off before I got home,not because it was didnt handle well it was just so low and your legs got so tired,not like those nice seats in a 54.Ive almost always had a 54 Chrysler product since Ive been driving and I got my first one in 69.I traded my 56 Desoto Fireflite for the Imperial I have now,the 56 was in Excellant condition,I just luv a 54.I also had a 64 Crown Imp I drove I luved & sold 2 years ago with 324,ooo miles on it with air,it still worked.Never overhauled,but getting tired,that was a great car. Drove it to work almost everyday.Use Pennzoil 30w it will keep them going.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I think I have the newest NON-working A/C...!!!!

 

It's now been TWO-YEARS-AGO, at the age of Nine-Years-Old, that mine in my now-eleven-year-old car has conked out...

 

But having nearly-growing up my entire life w/o it, am just getting used to doing without, though really only it needs to be recharged...

 

Just can't decide if I should spend about a-couple-hundred to get it fixed, or just buy a can of freon & do it myself...

 

 

-- Dave

 

 

 

 

[philr]

My mother had bought a brand new 2007 Jetta that had non-working factory a/c! The dealership first recharged it and told her they probably had forgotten to charge the system at the factory but the charge didn't hold and they had to replace something just a month or two later...

 

[revvinkevin]

A friend of mine has....

 

 

... the 1954 Chrysler New Yorker his grand parents owned since brand new!   It has the 331 hemi V8, power windows, wire wheels and factory A/C.   It's also two-tone black and white.  

 

These are photos I found so it's not his car.   The A/C compressor is a large 2 cylinder unit like in the photo and is always driven anytime the engine is running!