A Cars forum. AutoBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AutoBanter forum » Auto newsgroups » Antique cars
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old September 18th 07, 12:17 AM posted to rec.autos.antique
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States

I am considering buying an antique truck for deliveries...a small
enough model that what would hold less than today's minivans. What's
the first year, make and model offered in America that had air
conditioning as an option?

I understand some cars, like Franklins, as early at the 1910s, had
ammonia-based air conditioners. Although Franklin was a fancy car,
some truck must have had it available.

Ads
  #3  
Old September 18th 07, 01:49 AM posted to rec.autos.antique
Heather & Joe Way
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 17
Default First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States

On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:17:47 -0700, wrote:

>I am considering buying an antique truck for deliveries...a small
>enough model that what would hold less than today's minivans. What's
>the first year, make and model offered in America that had air
>conditioning as an option?
>
>I understand some cars, like Franklins, as early at the 1910s, had
>ammonia-based air conditioners. Although Franklin was a fancy car,
>some truck must have had it available.

================================
Hmmm...I suspect that functioning, reliable air conditioning was
limited to passenger cars at first, and that it was probably in the
late '50s or early '60s that it was offered in trucks.

However, air conditioning can be installed in almost any vehicle. A
number of people have air in their Model A Fords, for instance, and a
Model A sedan delivery would be just the right size for you.

The later the truck, the more room it is likely to have under the dash
and the hood for the necessary hardware, and the more likely that the
stock engine will be powerful enough to make it practical to drive in
modern traffic. Of course, running gear upgrades could be installed in
any truck.

Joe
--
Heather & Joe Way
Sierra Specialty Automotive
Brake cylinders sleeved with brass
Gus Wilson Stories
http://www.brakecylinder.com
  #4  
Old September 18th 07, 02:20 AM posted to rec.autos.antique
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States

On Sep 17, 5:49 pm, Heather & Joe Way > wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:17:47 -0700, wrote:
> >I am considering buying an antique truck for deliveries...a small
> >enough model that what would hold less than today's minivans. What's
> >the first year, make and model offered in America that had air
> >conditioning as an option?

>
> >I understand some cars, like Franklins, as early at the 1910s, had
> >ammonia-based air conditioners. Although Franklin was a fancy car,
> >some truck must have had it available.

>
> ================================
> Hmmm...I suspect that functioning, reliable air conditioning was
> limited to passenger cars at first, and that it was probably in the
> late '50s or early '60s that it was offered in trucks.
>
> However, air conditioning can be installed in almost any vehicle. A
> number of people have air in their Model A Fords, for instance, and a
> Model A sedan delivery would be just the right size for you.
>
> The later the truck, the more room it is likely to have under the dash
> and the hood for the necessary hardware, and the more likely that the
> stock engine will be powerful enough to make it practical to drive in
> modern traffic. Of course, running gear upgrades could be installed in
> any truck.
>
> Joe
> --
> Heather & Joe Way
> Sierra Specialty Automotive
> Brake cylinders sleeved with brass
> Gus Wilson Storieshttp://www.brakecylinder.com


How reliable would a Model A Sedan Delivery be compared to today's
cars? Reliability is supremely important as there are few places to
get an antique car fixed relatively inexpensively and conveniently
where I am (Los Angeles). I was thinking a Model T with an electric
starter is so simple, there isn't much that can go wrong! How's my
line of thinking on that one?

  #5  
Old September 18th 07, 02:22 AM posted to rec.autos.antique
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States

On Sep 17, 6:20 pm, wrote:
> On Sep 17, 5:49 pm, Heather & Joe Way > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:17:47 -0700, wrote:
> > >I am considering buying an antique truck for deliveries...a small
> > >enough model that what would hold less than today's minivans. What's
> > >the first year, make and model offered in America that had air
> > >conditioning as an option?

>
> > >I understand some cars, like Franklins, as early at the 1910s, had
> > >ammonia-based air conditioners. Although Franklin was a fancy car,
> > >some truck must have had it available.

>
> > ================================
> > Hmmm...I suspect that functioning, reliable air conditioning was
> > limited to passenger cars at first, and that it was probably in the
> > late '50s or early '60s that it was offered in trucks.

>
> > However, air conditioning can be installed in almost any vehicle. A
> > number of people have air in their Model A Fords, for instance, and a
> > Model A sedan delivery would be just the right size for you.

>
> > The later the truck, the more room it is likely to have under the dash
> > and the hood for the necessary hardware, and the more likely that the
> > stock engine will be powerful enough to make it practical to drive in
> > modern traffic. Of course, running gear upgrades could be installed in
> > any truck.

>
> > Joe
> > --
> > Heather & Joe Way
> > Sierra Specialty Automotive
> > Brake cylinders sleeved with brass
> > Gus Wilson Storieshttp://www.brakecylinder.com

>
> How reliable would a Model A Sedan Delivery be compared to today's
> cars? Reliability is supremely important as there are few places to
> get an antique car fixed relatively inexpensively and conveniently
> where I am (Los Angeles). I was thinking a Model T with an electric
> starter is so simple, there isn't much that can go wrong! How's my
> line of thinking on that one?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -


Any year in particular that you'd recommend as being particularly good?

  #6  
Old September 18th 07, 04:55 AM posted to rec.autos.antique
George Patterson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 82
Default First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States

Heather & Joe Way wrote:

> The later the truck, the more room it is likely to have under the dash
> and the hood for the necessary hardware, and the more likely that the
> stock engine will be powerful enough to make it practical to drive in
> modern traffic.


I'm not so sure of that. The old flatheads left plenty of room under the hood;
mostly above the engine. So did the old inline 6s from the 1950s and 60s.

As far as power is concerned, my '61 E-100 had a lot less power than my '40
Ford, and there were plenty of Falcons running around with that engine and AC. I
suspect that any small truck after the model-T era would do ok in this regard.

One problem you may have, though, is the relay that kicks the AC in. That's
usually 12v negative ground, and old Fords (at least) are 6v positive ground. A
replacement (and some creative wiring) might be needed.

George Patterson
If you torture the data long enough, eventually it will confess
to anything.
  #7  
Old September 18th 07, 04:32 PM posted to rec.autos.antique
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 16
Default First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States

On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:20:49 -0700, wrote:

>On Sep 17, 5:49 pm, Heather & Joe Way > wrote:
>> On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:17:47 -0700, wrote:
>> >I am considering buying an antique truck for deliveries...a small>

>How reliable would a Model A Sedan Delivery be compared to today's
>cars? Reliability is supremely important as there are few places to
>get an antique car fixed relatively inexpensively and conveniently
>where I am (Los Angeles). I was thinking a Model T with an electric
>starter is so simple, there isn't much that can go wrong! How's my
>line of thinking on that one?


Contrary to intuition, a Model T is a complicated beast, from the
perspective of keeping one on the streets as a daily driver today, and
there are so very few people who can work on them. The ignition
system is sensitive to humidity (wood parts), the transmission is not
exciting, and it has lead thrust bearings in a few places. It leaks
everywhere. It doesn't have enough power to accelerate to keep up
with traffic. The number of hours of maintenance compared with hours
on the street is remarkably high. I can't imagine its having enough
power to run an air conditioner and also run down the street.

The Model A is a much more modern vehicle and it has enough power to
get you up to speed. After mid-'28, its clutch is about like a modern
car and much of it could be repaired by a regular garage. The engine
isn't going to go a tremendous number of miles between overhauls,
though and the rod and main bearings are poured babbitt, so you'll
have to find somebody who knows how to do that. It also has
mechanical brakes that require constant adjustment and you don't want
to use them on a slick street if you can avoid it. A Model A at a
moderate cruising speed will outrun a Model T that running for all
it's worth.

One custom I heard of but never saw was a B-A-T: a Model B
four-cylinder engine from the mid-30s, a Model A frame, and a Model T
body. I can almost picture one of those as a daily driver, if you were
rich and put later brakes on it. Don't know how difficult it would be
to put air on it.

How about moving up to a Ford pickup from the late 40s, so it has
hydraulic brakes and a little stronger frame, and putting an engine
and automatic transmission from the 60s or 70s in it? If it's a
delivery vehicle, you won't be wearing out clutches and you can find
one that had air as an option.

You're talking about saving gas, but you can buy a tremendous amount
of gas for the $10K-20K you're talking about in parts, rebuild, and
custom work on the older vehicles. Expectations were different back
then and despite people's fond memories, they just weren't all that
good by today's standards.

Ed
Model T owner

  #8  
Old September 18th 07, 09:03 PM posted to rec.autos.antique
Otto Skorzeny[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 38
Default First Small Truck With Air Conditioning in United States

I drive old cars as daily transportation so I understand where ashers
is coming from. I'm also a realist. Post War cars offer the best
candidates for true daily drivers.They work and operate pretty much
the same as modern vehicles. There won't be any surprises for a modern
driver with most cars of the 40's -60's. They have enough power for
modern traffic, hydraulic brakes, optional power steering, braking,
etc.

I would choose a popular make (e.g. Ford or GM ) for a daily driver
simply because parts are easier to locate and after-market accessories
are generally abundant.

Another disadvantage of a 6 volt system is that nobody else out on the
road can give you a jump start if you need it. Ford introduced a 12
volt electrical system in 1956. If you want to add ac, whether modern
or period, that's a good year to start. If you wish to keep the truck
"stock" an ac system from a Ford car of the same vintage will
generally bolt right in. Automatic transmissions are also available.

Moving into the1960's, depending how much money you wish to spend,
well appointed trucks are available with just about every option a
modern truck would be expected to have.

As for air conditioning, unless you find an old truck that already has
a good functioning system, I would forget about trying to locate a
period unit. I would install a complete, modern 134a system from
Vintage Air http://www.vintageair.com/ or Classic Auto Air
http://www.classicair.com/ . Both of these companies make excellent
products and will custom tailor a unit for your application. Another
advantage with one of these retro-fit systems is that the compressor
and other components are smaller, lighter and more efficient than the
original systems of the 50's and 60's.

Unless you really enjoy working on cars and have an above average
desire to do so, don't bother with a prewar car, especially one as old
as a Model T. They're nice to look at and probably fun to tool around
town in on Independence Day but to rely on one for daily use is asking
for trouble. Even a Model A, although "reliable" by the standards of
1930, is no match for the average modern driver. Why would you want a
car with mechanical brakes, skinny tires, and limited power. You are
asking for trouble and they just aren't safe on crowded streets,
especially in bad weather. It may look "quaint" to make your
deliveries in a 1930 woody or pickup but that quaintness would soon
wear off and simply become an annoyance.

If you live in a town like Mayberry (with as much traffic) and don't
have to deliver goods more than a couple miles from your business, a
Model A might suffice. If you live in a normal town, I would
concentrate on vehicles from the mid 50's through 1979.

Forrest

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Sometimes, small cars can be safer (nothing gross) - small car safety.jpg Norm DePlume Auto Photos 1 August 3rd 07 05:53 PM
Various States Thomas Avery[_2_] Driving 0 May 1st 07 11:31 AM
Will the United States admit it was wrong to invade Iraq? rex roland Simulators 42 June 5th 06 10:39 AM
4 or 6 cylinder small truck??? sandy General 1 September 6th 05 06:04 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:03 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AutoBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.