Thinking about the summer heat...

I'm planning on some long distance driving in our 1939 Chev coupe this summer. My age and dear wife tell me it's time for air conditioning.
The question is... have any of you put one in a 39 and want did you use?
I tried a search and only came up with swamp coolers and vintage everything but air conditioners. thanks... WD40

 

How old are you?

 

http://www.vintageair.com/ should have something for ya... what engine do you have in there? might help make that decision as well. running a/c on a flatty might keep ya from doing the speed limit.

 

i installed a Vintage Air Gen-II compact kit for a client, in a '38 ford with an SBC... not exactly the same as the chebby, but the dimensions you have to work with are damned close.

the under-dash portion of the kit was an easy fit, the compressor bracket needed cut/welded, took the better part of an afternoon to put in... brought it to an a/c shop to have it pumped and filled, it was blowing 42f air all summer long.

 

42 F degree vent temps...ouch

I like vent temps in the mid thirties.

If you were seeing 42 F in Oregon, there is no way that same system would cool well in a hot and humid environment.

 

if your running a 216 still patrick's makes a compressor bracket kit for your engine. youd need a pretty small condenser to fit in front of a 39 radiator. then you could buy , or fabricate an old after market evaporater/blower unit.
or you could just get the swamp cooler and put ice in it, or even better dry ice

 

Maybe you're just not old enough. Most people around here seem to move to Fla after they retire cause they're cold all the time. Just hold off, maybe you'll grow to love the heat.

 

wasn't up here... not much of a need for a/c in these parts... 42f in Dallas, TX, in August. 'twas R134a, too...