My son has this old '55 Lincoln. On each of the rear quarters are forward facing vents. On the inside of the trunk they have duct running to the package tray in the rear window with vents you can open and close for fresh air. No big deal, right? Well I've been all over the net and seen millions of pics of these cars and NONE had these vents. I know it was an option because I have the original dealer brochure showing them. Here's the question: Could these have been part of an early Air Conditioning option? If so, where did the damn compressor go? The car's motor is long gone so what clue's it had are history. Thanks guys for the input! http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f226/Topfuel_Racer/Nicks55Lincolnquartervents.jpg
Yes, part of an A/C setup. Early units weren't all under the hood. That was one of Chevrolet's selling points of air when they started using it in '55; the sales brochure touted it as not using up any trunk space.
Thanks heathen! So there was a compressor on the motor though? (that sounds like such a stupid question)
yeah, in fact my brothers 53 chevy has remnants of a factory a/c/ in the trunk. very cool car regardless! _T
I think first real AC was Packard in 1942... Caddy used to have a similar setup, and I remember marveling at what must have been circa 1955 Cads with things that looked like clear-plastic Victrola horns protruding from the package shelf as air ducts!
Haven't seen those, but I laughed anyway just picturing it! I guess this Lincoln is a rare one then. Man is he gonna be pissed when I tell him he's not gonna turn this into some kind'a Ratrod.
Guess it could be part of an early air package but in all probability they are to keep you rear gl*** free of fog.
My old man had a 54 Coupe Deville with the A.C.,like Bruce is talking about, he likes to tell a story of a ride from El Paso to Louisville were the thing started making snow! "Flakes as big as your mother's hands!" Granted my mom is tiny women but still, it's a riot when my dad tells it!
Some info on the AC setups on that model. Near the bottom of the list. Don't know if this gets you anywhere. HERE
Packard had A/C in late 39 early 40 and yes, they were the first. And then everyone jumped on the bandwagon in the mid-50s. I had a Mercury with vents like that. In the pics below you can see the clear tubes going into the headliner through the package tray and then also the silver vents above the door the air came out of. They were pretty cool but very very brittle. I guess they don't make new ones for resto, but I could be wrong. Looks like your son has quite a car!
The thing you really have to watch for in the cars with rear mounted A/C is the rust in the metal duct work. I have yet to see a '55-58 Caddy with rear air that wasn't Flintstoned.
It's not that unusual on "premium" brands by the mid-50s to have rear air. Here is a '56 Imperial with it. Notice the two "scoops" just behind the rear gl***.
An old man nearby has a 53 lincoln under his shed he's had since it was new, it has this a/c setup as well. I first saw the car, i was like "what the **** is THAT?". Very odd looking since the ducts were pretty big and curved up as if to blow on the backs of the p***engers heads....
You don't always have to use ebay to buy something. It's excellent for research, too. I go there often to look up things... Not my auction, but here's a trunk mounted cadillac system. It has the rare clear tubes in it.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160026249187 This guy claims that these clear vents came from a 1956 Lincoln premiere/capri.. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250023912045 Another trunk cadillac air system... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290020122102
I believe you are all wrong as to what the clear tubes are for. I have it on good word that they are FART tubes to keep it car smelling fresh as a daisy.
In this thread I posted some pics of my Pontiac, including pictures of the rear air conditining unit and ducts: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5713 I think I was told that the a/c was a dealer installed option, and not a factory option... and the car was originally from Texas.
My '56 desoto has the trunk mounted AC, but no fresh air scoops. It's the standard model instead of the Deluxe. It has no clutch on the compressor either.
My buddy's stock '55 Nomad with air doesn't have a compressor clucth either, just a standard pulley. Must be great for gas mileage.
Make a nice Carrara PanAmerican clone. (mexican road race) Bill Strope ran couple or three Lincol coupes from 5o to 55 or so. Stripped out wide wheels, 6 or 8 ply truck tires to survive the harsh Mexican road paving. something about volcanic rock in the mix.
Finally got the car home! After sifting thru the rat turds and extra parts.... We found that the car did have a/c from the factory. Now we need to find or build an avaporator box for the trunk and find or make the tubes running from the package tray to the headliner. Thanks to all for the input!
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