1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe with Factory Air Conditioning Part 2
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- Опубліковано 24 сер 2024
- There were a couple of things I meant to mention during the tutorial--the factory air-conditioned cars had a six-bladed radiator fan instead of the four-bladed one. Also, the '53s were furnished with an auxiliary fan belt to be installed during winter months to idle the compressor since it wasn't considered a good idea to force an air-conditioning system to keep running during below 45 degree temperatures, even if the freon was bypassing the compressor. As these cars aged, I'm sure this troublesome project was not attended to and even tho' these are tremendouly tough compressors, the fact that they turn whenever the motor is running probably doomed many of them to short life spans as the miles piled up. The compressors in '54 had a solenoid mounted on top of the compressor which connected to an external clutch. By 1955, the clutch was integrated into the pulley and the compressors would gradually evolve into the familiar A-6 unit sometime in the early 60's--arguably the best and most reliable AC compressor ever developed.
This is the first year post-war that air-conditioning was available in Cadillacs, as well as Buicks and Oldses. There is a remote possibility of AC being available in the 1941 models--I have seen vintage technical literature that shows a cut-away view of a '41 fastback with an AC system in it. Whether or not any left the factory, or if they did if any exist would be pure speculation--they would be tremendously scarce in any case. I have seen factory air units in many 1940 Packards and have seen a post card showing an AC unit in a '42 DeSoto--an auto publication reprinted a vintage classified ad from the mid-40's for a Chrysler or DeSoto with AC, so at least one must have made it out the door. It's clear that if WW II had not have happened, auto AC would have become quite common by the early 50's.
Interesting video & overviews, like the Manuel’s & Stuff: nice Survivor. Thanks, I had a 56 Ford with *a/c for a short time... was rare in Northern Indiana in 1966....Interestingly, my first CAr war 53. ( unfortunately a Chevy 4 Door/ 6 CYL/Auto, budget model)
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed this! Yes, most of our first cars were pretty basic!
Fascinating! In my pre-teen years I always scanned Cadillacs for the two air scoops indicating a trunk a/c unit. Never quite knew how it all came together. Thanks!
Thanks for posting this fascinating piece about
the early days of automotive A/C, I'd always wondered how the early Cadillac system worked
and you answered my questions. Great stuff !
Thanks for the nice compliments! It is an R-12 system, but it also uses Freeze 12, which it was topped off with recently.
Wow! That's the most incredibly quiet running car I've never heard! Just beautiful! We at one time had a 55 Buick Roadmaster coupe that I thought was a quiet -running car... This Cadillac absolutely WHISPERS.
(I'm also N-Dr-Lo-R) Thanks! My father (1898-1958) was a Buick dealer from 1949 to 1957 and one of his favorite cars to drive from the dealership was a blue and white '55 Roadmaster sedan with factory air-conditioning and I loved it as well. Wish he had bought it for my mother before he got sick.
Man, that compressor is a beast! Thanks for the tour.
(I'm also NDrLoR) It sure is, they were overbuilt from the start! It's interesting that GM never made anything but rotary compressors while all the other brands used a variety of reciprocating models. Ultimately, the rotary compressor settled out to be the universally used design because of its simplicity and smoothness.
The year I was born ! Very cool.
(I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks! So is the air! So glad you enjoyed it!
Chrysler and Ford did not have clutches until '55.
Yes, the first two years for factory AC on Chrysler Airtemp, '53 and '54, did use R22. A friend had two '54 Imperials with factory AC owned by Mobil executives in the 50's. Those two years had a big, V-4 clutchless compressor with a huge pulley that allowed the compressor to run much slower and under lower pressure than those using R12. From '55 on they used a clutch controlled V-2 using R12.
It is gorgeous! When I first saw it, I thought it was the exact same car I saw in the Dallas area in the late 90's--same color, coupe, factory AC, all original--but that one was a Series 62 with crank windows and the plainer interior, this one is a Coupe de Ville. The man wanted $6,000 for it, which I would have given in a heartbeat, but he made every excuse as to why he couldn't deal with me at that time, and the next week it was gone. He probably already had a buyer.
There is a pretty slick 54 with factory air on Ebay now. It has a real sharp closeup pic of the compressor with that external clutch. Print it out and frame it. It would make a great conversation piece. Larry
Just found these videos. You did a great job. It's a nice system, great piece of engineering history and an amazing car
(I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks, deejaye! GM did a tremendous job on their first year Cadillac AC after the war compared to other makes. At least in Cadillac there was the ability to control both fans speeds and vary the amount of freon travelling through the system. And in '54 it would also be the first to provide a clutch for the compressor so it wouldn't run all the time. I still have the car, too.
@@VictrolaJazz
I'm glad you still have the car. I found your video because my great grandfather owned a 53 to 56 Cadillac with AC. I'm 48, last time I saw the car I was 9 or 10 years old. My dad and I have been talking about it lately. Again, the videos are great. Thank you for sharing
A lot of the vaunted excellence of the post-war Rolls Royce/Bentley was due to the generosity of GM/Cadillac engineering. A/C by GM/Frigidaire;power steering by GM/Saginaw;transmission by GM/HydraMatic;hydraulic windows and seats GM.Like people used to say,If it's on a new car,Cadillac probably had it first. After all,it IS the Standard of the World!
along with high fuel-consumption and high pollution levels
Luxury cars are not for people who have to worry about gas mileage.
Even the fan assembly is stylish.
Thanks, Greg! I know, they just had wonderful design in even basic things! Glad you enjoyed it!
wow that engine is huge, thats when cars were getting complicated...great video,id love to have this car!
Thanks! That system would probably hold five lbs. easily. In fact I had it charged this past summer, the first time in about four years--we used three cans of Freeze 12 which brought it up to cooling again and I also added 4 oz. of oil. In '54, GM used a solenoid sitting on top of the compressor that connected to an external clutch in front of the compressor. Beginning in '55 and from then on, the clutch was integrated into the pulley like on the later A-6 compressors.
Congratulations! It's interesting how things have come full circle--no pun intended. GM never used any other design but some style of rotary compressor--I believe it's by far the smoothest style. Both Ford and Chrysler used reciprocating types--York for Ford and their own by Chrysler, until after 1980 when everyone went to the Sankyo style. The Ford systems in the 70's Lincolns are transplanted GM systems. The GM A-6 has the reputation as being the best compressor ever designed.
You'll notice in the video a Shrader valve below the compressor--the procedure is to hold a clean rag below the valve, press the valve core and if oil sprays out onto the rag, then you have enough oil in the system.
This 1953 Cadillac was made at a time when Air Conditioning was on very few cars. Air Conditioning was only available on luxury cars as a very expensive option around 1953.
(I'm also NDrLoR) It had been available very briefly on Packards, Cadillacs and a few Chrysler products from 1940 to 1942, then dropped with war production. After the war, '53 was the first year it was available from the Big Three. It was available on Cadillac, Olds and Buicks, but on an Olds it was a 1/3 of the price of the car, over $700!
Thanks! I've always preferred original, 'tho imperfect cars, to restored cars.
Yes, Buick/Olds/Cadillac got factory AC in '53, Pontiac in-dash in '53, and Chevy in '55. My parents best friends had a '52 Cadillac Fleetwood with added on AC in the back. We added a Frigiking to our '53 Roadmaster in '60 prior to a trip to Mexico.
Outstanding video. Thanks.
You're welcome, Mars! Glad you enjoyed it!
With the size of that condenser and evap, as well as the lines, I wouln't be surprised if it held closer to 10 lb than 5. I can remember when you could get cans of R12 on sale for 29 cents, and they were at least 15oz, if not a full lb.
Very nice. Thanks for keeping it in such good original shape. I'm going to get one someday.
Oh I'm sure it would hold that much if it had to be refilled. Back when we knew R-12 was going to be discontinued, I bought three cases at about $2.75 a can, about 15 years ago. I still have two cans left of that stash.
Great video ! Love it That's for sharing you car and time with us .
(I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks again, Dan! Glad you enjoyed the show! Also, check out my '56 Coupe de Ville on the same channel.
Altho they used the same bodies, Buicks were actually a little more deluxe in their AC-equipped coupes in that even the two-doors had registers in the roof and Plexiglass tubes in the back shelf--the stainless steel "ribs" were deleted, 'tho. Only Cadillac sedans used plastic tubes and vents in the roof.
@dsteveortiz My car does not have the hydraulically operated power windows as it's the lower trim level Series 62. They could have been bought as an option, but only Coupe de Villes, Fleetwoods and convertibles had power windows as standard equipment.
@TheWSTEENROD I've picked up a small modern Sankyo compressor and it was heavy--I'd hate to think what the one on the 53 weighs! There's enough copper tubing (no flexible lines in the system) to fund a nice retirement, and the trunk unit probably adds at least another 100!. Thanks!
Thank you NDrLoR 6/ 22/2021
I can imagine how great it was to turn this the air conditioning on I 9 5 3. ............Gees !
(I'm also NDrLoR) It must have been. Someone your age in 1953 remembered the Model T Ford and cars of that vintage that had no creature comforts or conveniences and in the same length of time since only 1992, which included a Depression and World War II, they had a car that could be driven anywhere in complete comfort.
I have always been facinated by early automotive ac.
1975 while at Montgomery Wards automotive in IL. I seen a 53 Caddy with the clear tubes and air scoops. I knew it was early ac. That Caddy was the same color as the one in the vid.
I wonder if the ac worked well during a cross country trip?
In 1960 my dad drove a 59 Caddy to Acapulco, Mexico from Chicago and back with 4 ppl in the car.
I didnt go.
I did go on our trip Chicago to Los Angeles in a 65 Caddy with ac. The ac froze up in Las Vegas. My mom was pist!
(I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks! The '53 sedans did use the Plexiglas tubes that carried the air to registers above the seating positions (called airline style), but for some reason they were used in coupes. I have driven it on a hot day many years ago and it is very effective.
@@jazzvictrola7104 cool. Thanks.
The Compressors continued to be made and badged by Frigidaire until GM made the famous mistake of selling off the Frigidaire Division in 1980. Then, Delco supplied the Compressors.
(I'm now JazzVictrola) Thanks! Is that when the horrible little pancake compressors evolved? I know the A-6 compressor was always considered one of the best ever made. When GM was going down the tube!
It was available pretty much from every maker beginning in 1953--but there is a possibility that Cadillac offered it in '41 as well--I've seen a cutaway of a '41 with a factory installation. Packard had it in '40--it was WW II that postponed it. If it hadn't been for the war, auto AC would have been universal by the end of the 40's.
Coincidentally, I've uploaded two videos of my '56 Coupe de Ville just today, so take a look at it as well. Thanks!
@soulfultenor The A-6 is kind of the classic of AC compressors, one of the best ever built from GM's era of engineering excellence. The A-6 was adopted by Ford in '72 for Lincolns and T-Birds, then used on big Fords and Mercurys '75-'79. I had a rebuilt one put on my '77 Mercury Grand Marquis and it's perfect. It's the exact opposite of that nasty little pancake thing GM came out with about '77 that burns out in six months and can't be rebuilt.
The heating and AC units on this car are entirely separate from each other. When new, an auxiliary fan belt was supplied to be used during the winter months to bypass the compressor so it would not run--I'm sure this annoying job was not performed after the car was a couple of years old, leading to premature compressor failure due to its running all the time.
early systems (lol) I'm a trained HVAC tech. it's nice to see all that technology ahead of it's time
Very interesting! Thank you!
WHILE THE FRIGIDAIRE UNIT IN THE TRUNK IS THE SAME AS THE UNIT IN MY 53 98 THE REST OF THE SYSTEM IN THE INTERIOR IS DIFFERENT . THIS HAS AIR JUST FROM THE PKG SHELF .MY OLDS 98 HAS AIRPLANE STYLE DIFFUSERS IN THE HEADLINER.ONE EACH OVER EACH SIDE OF THE FRONT AND BACK SEATS. AND THE CONTROLS WERE COOL/LOW COLD /HIGH FAN SPEED.
(I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks, Richard! That was an oddity with the Cadillac coupes, the vents only on the rear window shelf. In sedans they also had the airplane style diffusers (I've heard that cars made in the north did not use them). Also, Buick Roadmaster and Super coupes with AC, which used the same body as the Cadillacs, also had the airplane style system as did their sedans. In a sense, the Cad coupe owners were shortchanged in relation to their lower priced cousins!
My 1949 Cadillac Sedanette Fastback has AC as well. The system looks similar to yours. I don’t know if it’s special ordered factory. But who ever installed went to great lengths. I haven’t seen another 49 with the same set up. Scoops and all.
Probably a retro fit by a dealer .
@soulfultenor I'm familiar with the orifice tubes on the late 70's GM--I despise cycling compressors, which pretty well ruled from the 80's-90's. Now I think several makes use a non-cycling type called variable displacement--that may be what is in my '07 Nissan Altima 3.5 as I know it does not cycle. Many others do because I can hear them going on/off at stop lights. I like a good supply of crisp cold air, not what I call "muggy lapses" you get when it cycles off.
I've never put a thermometer in the vent, and I no longer drive my cars in extremes of either heat or cold, but on an 80-85 degree day, you can tell a significant difference between outside and inside temperature, especially because of dehumidification.
Now this was plainly built to last. Didn’t some of these use r22 ? I know some used r12. Loved r12, that was the best refrigerant for auto ac, I can still remember buying r12 and having ice cold ac.
(I'm also NDrLoR) Yes, they were definitely overbuilt. This one does use R-12, but the 1953 and 1954 Mopar (Chrylser) units used R-22 with their big V-4 compressors that ran all the time, slowed down by use of a huge pulley. When the units were redesigned for '55 with a smaller, clutch controlled compressor, they also used R-12. I remember back when you could buy a can of R-12 for about 75 cents. When I heard it was going to be discontinued, I bought about three cases at $2.75 a can and used that supply for over a decade with my R-12 cars. About six years ago, I had some R-12 oil added to this compressor as it had become noisy.
I just bought a 53 Olds a/c manual that should be similar to yours. Haven't gotten it yet though.Now I guess I have to find a 53 Olds with air.I am not exactly holding my breath. Couldn't afford it if one ever surfaced anyway.
(I'm also NDrLoR) You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for sharing; very informative.
@hep2jive Hi! I think you're asking does it use more gas with AC on? It might, but very little because the compressor is turning all the time anyway because it has no clutch--the only difference is that when it is on, the freon is being forced through the compressor which might take a bit more power to turn it, but very little.
My friends said my 53 Caddy had a 6 body trunk!
(I'm also NDrLoR) I wonder was that from experience!
nope, but I did have 5 or 6 mounted tires in the trunk. Gas gauge always read 1/3 full
Great video!
+Michael Posada (I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Congratulations on the AC manual--I'm sure it's the same except for having an Oldsmobile specific cover.
@madogblue Due to the age, nearly 60 years old, I wouldn't want to drive it 70-80 MPH. However, the '53 has a 3.07 final drive which gives it relaxed cruising at 60 MPH as compared to many other cars of the day with their 3.54 and higher final drives. Aerodynamics were not a significant factor in '53 beyond making a car look good. More progress was made in automobiles 1903-1953 than in the same interval 1953-2003.
The same could be said of airplanes as well.
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
No don't--you would definitely suffocate. I remember back through the 60's seeing a dark blue '53 Super 88 4-door sedan in Waco with factory AC. After moving to Dallas, one weekend a family friend rode to Waco with me to visit her friends, two spinster sisters. I took her to their home and there sat the Olds under a carport, still in nice condition. They let me look inside and I remember it was a radio-delete car--wish I'd kept track of it because I'm sure they kept it 'till they died.
@hep2jive That's right, it's a 331! The pent-up demand after WW II was finally satisfied with warmed-over 42's. Now they had to start adding real amenities to keep customers coming. All this added a lot of stress to the electrical systems, so they went to 12 volts in Cad/Buick/Olds in '53, Chevy/Pontiac in '55, Ford/MoPar in '56 to handle the higher loads.
That is not why they went to 12 volts. They did it so they could use a lighter wiring harness - a pretty big cost save.
@@michaelbenardo5695 (I'm now JazzVictrola) Makes sense, it was the industry standard by '56, GM just did it first. It sure turns over a lot faster than six volt when cranking which is what I like.
@@jazzvictrola7104 If you use large enough battery cables, 6 volts will turn the engine fast enough, most people under a certain age just don't understand that and buy chain auto parts store skinny cables, with slow cranking being the result.
@@jazzvictrola7104 Yup, GM decided to copy the British and switch to 12 volts in 1953, before everybody else.
@@michaelbenardo5695 Well things were developing everywhere. Another thing about the 12 volt system is the way it spins the motors over, were getting higher and higher compression. A six volt system doesn't have any enthusiasm, sounds like it just doesn't want to get up and go. A 12 volt system is full of exuberance.
@jenniferkm115 Don't know--probably would have to be disassembled, then retaining screws or nuts be gotten at somewhere in the bottom of the evaporator case, but that's just a guess--I've never seen one apart or taken out.
I believe these early units were originally designed for limousines, not sedans and coupes. That's why they are designed to blow the cold air into the rear compartment instead of through the dash vents. 1957 was the first year that Cadillac put the A/C in the front with the cold air coming out the dash vents (except for the Series 75).
An extra, extra cost option on these early units was to have the air flow from the package shelf through clear plastic tubes to ducts concealed behind the headliner that led to overhead outlets in the ceiling, like on airplanes.
(I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks! The very earliest auto AC's in Packard and Cadillac in '40 and '41 respectively and a few DeSotos in '42 were all trunk mounted, all made by a company called Bishop and Babcock. When the Big 3 once again began offering AC in '53, it was uniformly trunk mounted. Both Pontiac and Nash offered AC in '54 which were both in-dash. As the '50s progressed, factory AC gravitated to the dash--Olds in '55, Buick in '56 and as you said, Cadillac in '57. The outlets in the ceiling were not an option but a matter of maker choice. Both Cadillac and Buick sedans had the ceiling outlets. In '53 and '54 Buick coupes also had ceiling outlets, but for whatever reason Cadillac, using the exact same body, did not use the Plexiglas tubes or ceiling outlets in their coupes, only the two registers on the rear window shelf. A few independent makers in Dallas and Ft. Worth, TX, ARA, Novi, Mark IV, et al began making aftermarket units concurrently in the early 50's, but they were also originally trunk mounted units, but by the late 50's were installed under the dash. For more examples of these units, see my Facebook site Trunk Mounted Factory Air-Conditioning 1940-1957. 1957 Lincolns were the last cars to have trunk-mounted factory AC. Limos made by Cadillac up through 1965 also had AC's in the trunk, but they existed as a supplement to their in-dash units. Also, Mopars could be ordered with dual AC into the late 50's.
The Mark 4 AC system was trunk mounted even in the mid 60s.
@NDrLoR my 95 Roadmaster has the variant of the A4 or A6 Compressor, it still has the swash plate but it's not comparison to the A6 with the oil sump, they were the long belly's I call them, on the older 70's and 80's GM fullsize cars, those compressors were indestructable and they held up better. I know my mom has a 77 Caddy DeVille, with an expansion valve on the evaporator coming from the liquid side of the condenser @ the Evaporator which made it more efficient. They also used a POA system.
Great! Just great!! I found your video informative, thank you. I have a '53 cadi-62 series that had factory air. The compressor was missing when I bought the car. Any idea on what I can do to replace it? I would like to stay original, but that may not be possible. What advice can you offer me.
Bob
@NDrLoR lol yeah they were, systems are similar but have orfice tubes and expansion valves, my toyotas have expansion valves and EPR (Evaporator Pressure Regulator)
I thought there were clear tubes running from the package shelf vents to the headliner, where there were cardboard ducts leading to two vents per side (4 vents total). My '53 Roadmaster had that setup. The package shelf vents looked just like yours, but are you missing the tubes and headliner vents?
(I'm also NDrLoR) No, for some reason Cadillac didn't use the tubes in coupes, while Buick did so using the same body, I've never understood why. Cadillac sedans do use the tube, though. I've heard they were not used in cars built in the north, though.
@@jazzvictrola7104 Thx. My '53 Roadmaster and a '53 Caddy sedan I know of were both built in Linden, NJ, so that "north" thing isn't accurate.
@@roberthaworth8991 Well I don't know for sure, it's just something I'd heard. I think all the Cadillac sedans with AC I've ever seen have the tubes.
Did they only use the four vents coming out of the roof on certain models or body styles? I was surprised to see your 56 had the same type of vents as this one.A friend said his first car, a 53 Roadmaster had them in the roof. I guess Cadillac was the last GM to use a trunk unit. I have heard that the a/c in 57Cads was so feeble it was nearly worthless. I think they got much better in 58. I do remember riding in a 58 Olds that had great air.
@hep2jive If it's the sedan that is not running, that would be a very nice car if you can buy it right! It has absolutely every option, including real wire wheels and AC, but it would be an expensive proposition to restore. Also, it has the hydraulic windows, which mine doesn't have, and you can add about another $2,000 for their restoration!
Did these old systems blow very cold?
@NDrLoR Yes, this I know, I have one in my shed that's in good condition, it came off of an 77 Century.
Hi thanks for the replies! Now I do recall seeing a 54 Roadmaster with the clutch you describe. One thing tho, one of my best friends said that the first a/c car he ever rode in was their neighbor's 51 Imperial, in about 53 or 54. He'd have been in his early teens then. I know besides Cad, a/c was available on Olds and Buick in 53, and not on Chev til 55,probably waited for the V8. Pontiac had the first in-dash, but did it come out in 53, or 54? BTW I am in the a/c trade and an old car
@soulfultenor Thanks! Overbuilt weren't they!
How cold does the air get coming out of the vents? Is it able to keep the interior cool in summer?
Do you have any videos showing the power window set up? Im having trouble finding out what is wrong with window set up. Thanks for your help.
I bet that system weighed a ton....interesting to see early systems though.
(I'm also NDrLoR) Thanks! Yes, I expect it did. The compressor alone probably weighs what the entire system in modern cars weigh. There are no flexible lines except the short, braided tether line--all the rest all solid copper. It was that way through '56, then they started using rubber lines.
I got my book Friday. It's great.I got it so cheap I actually feel guilty about it. Mine has 144 pages, Besides the cover, the illustrations of the car body are of course Olds also. Imteresting that it is a rotary compressor. How long did they use that? I know they went to A5 in 58 and A6 in 62, and had at least one other design between yours and 57. Interesting that Ford started using A6 on Mark lV and TBird in 72, and GM style evaps and POA valves on 72 intermediates but with the 2 cyl comp..
@Mrtriumphchopper I knew of Rolls Royce's use of those GM components in those years. It's good that they didn't use them in the 80's or 90's, GM's bad years.
1953 CdV w/factory A/C for sale .
(I'm also NDrLoR) No, but thanks for asking!
Hey, does anyone know how to remove the A/C trunk unit. Can't find how it is mounted. Thanks!!
@Organgrinder1010 Well now you do! Thanks!
@hep2jive Oh I'd love to see it! What is the number?
@MrBBB53 Thanks! I've heard someone say if one of those, which is a one year only design, can even be found they are around $1,500! I have just bought a rebuilt vacuum booster/master cylinder for a '56 I have from USA Parts Supply, Ltd, which supplies all kinds of vintage Cadillac parts. Their number is 800-872-2013. I would also call Honest John's Caddy Corner in Justin, TX at 800-59Caddy. Between these two numbers, you might get on the right track. Good luck!
Check out the 54 Fleetwood on EBay right now. It is a bunch of money, but considering the condition of the car it looks like a steal
+lp1330 If it's the dark blue sedan with a Buy-it-Now for $28,000, it's absolutely worth it! They call it a Fleetwood but it's really the shorter Series 62, which in a lot of ways I prefer because it's lighter and, well, shorter but with all the same Cadillac quality. If I didn't have mine, I'd make an offer. You see lots of 55's, but not many 54's!
+VictrolaJazz That is it I thought it was black-- looked like it on my monitor. What are the odds of finding another in that condition with that mileage AND with complete and supposedly working factory air? Especially a 54. As the 50's went on, air became more common with each year, and that was the one-off year with the external clutch
+lp1330 My favorite kind of car, clean and all original with factory AC! AC was growing almost exponentially each year from '53 on. In '54, GM's external clutch provided the only factory system that had a clutch--Chryslers still had the clutchless compressor as did FoMoCo. When you think of it, there was more progress in the 50's than any other decade--it went from barely warmed over 40's cars in 1950 to fully modern vehicles with every available convenience as either an option or standard, everything after that was just variation of the same themes.
I have heard farm equipment run quieter.
(I'm also NDrLoR) Probably not with a mic right next to the engine. What is your point?
Very strange system, didn't know TXVs existed back then.
(I'm also NDrLoR) TXV's? I'm not sure what that refers to, but this was the first year availability of factory AC since 1941 when a few units were installed. The same unit was also available in the Oldsmobile Super 88's and 98's and Buick V-8s.
A TXV (Thermal Expansion Valve) is a weird looking valve with a flying saucer like thing on top. It senses pressure, and temperature to precisely control freon in the system.
John Smith Thanks for that explanation! I guess that's what they used in this one year the compressors didn't have a clutch. In '54, the GM cars with AC, Buick/Olds/Cadillac, had a Rube Goldberg looking device, I guess a solenoid, sitting on top of a compressor just like this one, but connected to a clutch in front of the pulley. Beginning in '55, the clutch became integrated with the pulley and looked much like the A-6 units of later years.
They used a weird valve that lets the freon freewheel through the compressor, it was controlled by a switch on the dashboard, but the TXV is automatic, and always does the work by itself
Neat! Wonder how may lbs of Freon that system holds. When did they start using clutches on the compressors? Also, I heard from more than one person, years ago, that the very first Chryslers used R22. Do you know if that is true or not? Again, thanks for the video--awesome car
You heard correctly about Chryslers.
@@michaelbenardo5695 53 is said to be the first year for Chryslers but my best and oldest friend insists the first a/c car he rode in was their neighbor's 51 Imperial He is a car guy and born in Jan 41 so l believe him 100%
wow thats got to add about 400 pounds to the car.....but she's no featherweight anyway cool vid and car
@NDrLoR yeah that was my question alright interesting. i want to get one just like your car its on ebay.
Pull back your camera! I can't see all the components of the AC and how they fit into the car.
does the AC take up gas??
Yes
This system used R-12 freon, didn't it ? Where the heck do you buy that stuff nowadays? Do you have to get it from China and pay $1000 a pound ??
Yes. No, I don't use the system anymore. I was able to get some NOS R-12 refrigerant oil from a friend of mine to keep the system properly lubricated, but the car gets driven only about 500 miles a year. I take it out about once a week when the weather is nice and put about ten highway miles on it, so it doesn't matter about the AC. Thanks!
you should just take the belt of the compressor
Who is this hill-jack?
+kerryincolumbus I don't understand what you're referring to?
cadillac miniature video : ua-cam.com/video/DmRWl3W7iPs/v-deo.html
Thanks! Enjoyed that! I have that same model and am going to take it out after while and try it out!
I had to stop watching half-way through.. the hillbilly narrator with his stutter "uhs" and "duhs' was just too distracting and that video was nauseating!
kerryincolumbus hey, uhhh, cant you uhhh understand uhhhh what uuuhhhh he's uhhhh talking about? uhhh?
You're envious because you don't have a car like it.
I guess you're envious as well?
You're too easily nauseated. You should see a doctor about that.
You poor thing. Bless your heart.
Not having a template to go by, they actually overbuilt things like this in those days, instead of today's notion of let's get it out the door and cheaply as possible and to hell with the customer! Some modern writers will dismiss these units as "barely adequate" and "rudimentary" when in fact they can hold their own with anything of today in their simplicity of design and operation.