![]() ![]() ![]() Realizing this is old, I thought I would go ahead and add to it.Īir conditioning was offered on Lincolns as early as 1953. The dealership is still in business, maybe I should check to see if they have any records of that order from fifty-nine years ago. I can only surmise the fact one of the partners in the dealership was a neighbor it may have been one of those "special" kind of deals from the dealer having knowledge it was to be soon to be officially offered. I can't say for certain that there was an official A/C accessory offering for Ford in 1953 or attest to exactly how the A/C came to come from the factory. (passed my drivers test in that Mercury) Both cars had the typical in trunk evaporator blower set up of the era with the tubes going through the package tray. That car was replaced in late 1954 with a Mercury having factory air purchased from Ozan Motor Company (a Lincoln-Mercury dealer) in Longview, Texas. In late 1952, my Dad ordered and received a 1953 Ford with factory air conditioning from the Pegues-Hurst Ford dealership in Longview, Texas. I know this is an old thread, but I couldn't resist posting. By 1969, over half (54%) of the domestic automobiles were equipped with air conditioning with the system needed not only for passenger comfort, but also to increase the car's resale value. American Motors made air conditioning standard equipment on all AMC Ambassadors starting with the 1968 model year, a first in the mass market with a base price starting at $2,671. The innovation was adopted quickly, and by 1960 about 20% of all cars in the United States had air-conditioning with the percentage increasing to 80% in the desert areas of the Southwest. The alternative layout pioneered by Nash "became established practice and continues to form the basis of the modern and more sophisticated automatic climate control systems." General Motors made a front mounted air conditioning system optional in 1954 Chevrolets and Pontiacs with a V8 engine that added separate controls and air distribution. ![]() Most competing systems used a separate heating system and an engine-mounted compressor with an evaporator in the car's trunk to deliver cold air through the rear package shelf and overhead vents. Nash's exclusive "remarkable advance" was not only the "sophisticated" unified system, but also its $345 price that beat all other systems. Entirely incorporated within the engine bay, the combined heating and cooling system had cold air for passengers enter through dash-mounted vents. Marketed under the name of "All-Weather Eye", the Nash system was "a good and remarkably inexpensive" system. This was the first system for the mass market with controls on the dash and an electric clutch. The Nash-Kelvinator corporation used its experience in refrigeration to introduce the automobile industry's first compact and affordable, single-unit heating and air conditioning system optional for its 1954 Nash models. In 1954 the Nash Ambassador was the first American automobile to boast front-end, fully-integrated heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system. The system took up the entire trunk space, was not very efficient, and had no thermostat or independent shut-off mechanism. These air conditioners were originally optional, and could be installed for an extra $274 (about $4,050 in 2007 dollars). ![]() The Packard Motor Car Company was the first automobile manufacturer to build air conditioners into its cars, beginning in 1939. Other factors on the impact on the engine and an overall engine heat increase can have an impact on the cooling system of the vehicle.ġ953 Chrysler Imperial with factory trunk mounted "Airtemp". Factors such as wind resistance aerodynamics and engine power and weight have to be factored into finding the true variance between using the air conditioning system and not using it when figuring out difference in actual gas mileage. There has been much debate and discussion on what the usage of an air conditioner does to the fuel efficiency of a vehicle. Cars in hot climates often are fitted with air conditioning. Air conditioner systems are designed to allow the driver and or passengers to feel more comfortable during uncomfortably warm humid or hot trips in a vehicle. ![]()
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