Hearses
I was always fascinated by hearses when I was a kid but never was around them. I'd just see them in action. I can remember when I started working in hospitals in college in the early 70's and we were using a mix of Cadillac ambulances and the newer 'box style' in Houston for the Medical Center. I was so shocked when I got around one of the Cadillacs for the first time and saw how spartan the front compartment was! Lord, those were beautiful vehicles, though. Within a very few years they were all off the road in Houston except for private transport, and that didn't last much longer.
As for a/c, I can't imagine having to transport before air conditioning in this area. We not only get the heat here in the Houston area, but we also get the humidity. I was born in 1955; in 1954 my parents bought a beautiful Pontiac Star Chief coupe, the first year for it with the ultra-long trunk, but also the last year of the straight eight. However, Pontiac actually offered in-dash a/c that year and yes, my parents bought it. Everyone who could afford it had either wall units in their homes or central for new homes. We had 3 wall units in our home, two Carriers and an old Fedders that I think made more noise than cold air. I had an aunt with a '56 Sixty Special with the a/c vents in the roof. It's funny how remote a/c units has come back around now.
Kids these days don't understand that part of the issue with those early automatics was driver control because they're so used to being passive with today's cars. I had two uncles who just swore by Fluid Drive and drove them until they couldn't any more. They were relatively simple (certainly more than the H-M) they were easy to use and they didn't cost a lot. You just couldn't be in a drag race.
Do you know why, when GM began using the excellent Harrison a/c compressor in the mid fifties with the 'wobble plate' technology, why the other car makers stuck with the piston compressors, that made not only more vibration, but more noise? Was it a patent issue?
I was always fascinated by hearses when I was a kid but never was around them. I'd just see them in action. I can remember when I started working in hospitals in college in the early 70's and we were using a mix of Cadillac ambulances and the newer 'box style' in Houston for the Medical Center. I was so shocked when I got around one of the Cadillacs for the first time and saw how spartan the front compartment was! Lord, those were beautiful vehicles, though. Within a very few years they were all off the road in Houston except for private transport, and that didn't last much longer.
As for a/c, I can't imagine having to transport before air conditioning in this area. We not only get the heat here in the Houston area, but we also get the humidity. I was born in 1955; in 1954 my parents bought a beautiful Pontiac Star Chief coupe, the first year for it with the ultra-long trunk, but also the last year of the straight eight. However, Pontiac actually offered in-dash a/c that year and yes, my parents bought it. Everyone who could afford it had either wall units in their homes or central for new homes. We had 3 wall units in our home, two Carriers and an old Fedders that I think made more noise than cold air. I had an aunt with a '56 Sixty Special with the a/c vents in the roof. It's funny how remote a/c units has come back around now.
Kids these days don't understand that part of the issue with those early automatics was driver control because they're so used to being passive with today's cars. I had two uncles who just swore by Fluid Drive and drove them until they couldn't any more. They were relatively simple (certainly more than the H-M) they were easy to use and they didn't cost a lot. You just couldn't be in a drag race.
Do you know why, when GM began using the excellent Harrison a/c compressor in the mid fifties with the 'wobble plate' technology, why the other car makers stuck with the piston compressors, that made not only more vibration, but more noise? Was it a patent issue?