trunk mounted ac system for a 51

[nickaboni2]

I am exploring the idea of putting a trunk mounted ac system in my 51 starlight hot rod.[all stude powered]This would be mounted in a compartment located behind the rear seat and the trunk. Has anyone used a system like this succesfully.

[bams50]

I would thik you'd be much happier overall with a modern system like Vintage Air makes. I'll be interested in hearing Ebon and the other knowledgeable folks answer your question.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[rockne10]

Vintage Air offers two trunk mount units. There's not much room under the dash of a '51.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[nickaboni2]

quote:Originally posted by bams50

I would thik you'd be much happier overall with a modern system like Vintage Air makes. I'll be interested in hearing Ebon and the other knowledgeable folks answer your question.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

I have looked into and talked to vintage air and they do not have a system that will fit behind a 51 stude dash. My plan would be to have a seperate heat and defrost unit behind the dash and the ac sytem in the compartment iffffff there is enough volume to cool the front or to run ducts under a modified console to the front. [?][?][?]

[rockne10]

You can't beat the original heater in a '51. It can cook you. The defroster only works best once the cabin air is warm. Unfortunately, sometimes you only want the defroster without the cabin heat. At any rate, investigate the Vintage Air trunk mount units.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[railway]

In an earlier post Bob Palma spoke of a nice 55 that was at the Nationals in Austin, Well Dad bought that car just for the trunk unit. 6V system, so he could install it in his 50 Starlight Coupe. We had a field coil made in Mexico for a Sanden compressor. Unit worked great and would cool the car even on the hottest days. That Champion was a very nice car, and is what got our family in to the Studebaker hobby. I'm in belief that those long clear tubes, that blows cold air along the headliner to the front of the car, is the secret to cooling off the interior. It was an automatic with A/C, to keep the battery charged on long hot night drives, we finally had to install a 6V alternator. Sure glad we didn't live in Tn. with that car.
Those large coils in a Novi trunk unit was also a plus.

Ebon...
[img][/img]

"I sweat to keep others cool"

[Swifster]

I'd run the ducts in the roof. Hot air rises. The cooler air will come downward.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Mulberry, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $2125.60)

[4961Studebaker]

No room? Even the vintage air MINI is too big? Wow that's a tiny dash. http://www.vintageair.com/cat2007/17.pdf

here's a link to dimensions of the mini, not the compact.

ChopStu

[52-fan]

The dash on the 47-52 models is very close to the firewall. The steering column actually looks overly long compared to most cars. The mini has me wondering though. I guess I need to measure my 52 for space.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[vegas paul]

Classic Auto Air has a unit (Street Rod Cooler II) that is a "behind dash" unit, that would fit (I am contemplating using it in my 51). It would extend down below the dash level somewhat, but not interfere with leg room. It measures 7"deep, 9.5" high, and 20" long. It is cool/heat/defrost. It is available in both cable and servo control. I have researched many manufactureres, and although vintage Air is very well thought of, I am leaning towards the Classic Auto Air, both for the fit issue, as well as the fact that they have separate coils for AC and heat. Also, the evap unit is serviceable, instead of a sealed unit that you can't open up.

Las Vegas, NV - Stop by, coffee's on!
'51 Champion Business Coupe G899965 10G-Q4-1434

[Mr. Bill]

Ebon: Would you post some pictures of the a/c equipped 55 President? I am interested in seeing all of these Studebaker sedans so equipped.

Dad managed to obtain the Studebaker Service Bulletin covering air conditioning in the 55 Studebaker not too long after he acquired his a/c equipped 55 President Ultra Vista in early 1956. I still have this bulletin.(Number 300, March 1955 entitled "Studebaker Air Conditioner for 1955 Commander, President Sedans") I find the warranty and procedure for obtaining a/c service a little lacking, especially considering the fact that approximately $567 1955 dollars was spent for this one option. The bulletin reads:

"During the warranty period - 90 days or 4000 miles, whichever first occurs -- you can get warranty service on parts and labor at any of the NOVI branches and service stations listed in this Service Bulletin. As new authorized NOVI service stations are added, you (The Studebaker Dealer) will be notified".

"Should you, for reason of proximity or convenience, have an air conditioner serviced during warranty by a reputable refrigeration mechanic other than an authorized NOVI serviceman, any parts replaced by such mechanic should be sent to the nearest NOVI branch for warranty claim consideration. Such parts must be accompanied by clear and specific information similar to that called for on our B866 Claim Parts Tag. Adjustments by NOVI for defective parts replaced by other than NOVI service stations will not include labor of replacement".

That doesn't sound very comforting to me but it follows the norm for the day when the entire car was guaranteed for about the same period of time. Does this mean that you couldn't necessarily depend on the Studebaker Dealer to fix a warranty problem with your air conditioning unit and be told its between you and NOVI? Even later down the road after the warranty expired, how many Studebaker dealers had knowledgeable refrigeration servicemen employed? I might be wrong, but I don't think a buyer of a Frigidaire equipped GM product would have this problem, after all, Frigidaire was a division of GM.

Also, Looking at the NOVI Warehouse/Service Station/Independent Representatives List, a good portion of the country is not represented by NOVI. Dad's 55 President came from a Charlotte, NC dealer and the nearest NOVI location at time of the bulletin being printed was in Atlanta GA.

From what I know, Studebaker anticipated selling more air conditioned cars than they actually did. I wonder how many dealers, after reading this bulletin, decided for the time being, a/c may be one thing they were not willing to push hard in order to avoid any potential service nightmares down the road.

It appears Texas was best represented by NOVI centers with California second. Arizona (Phoenix) and Utah (Salt Lake City) surprisingly have only one NOVI Distributor Center apiece.

Fortunately, from what I remember, the a/c system in dad's President worked flawlessly and still cooled when after many years of serving in 3rd class status as dad's back and forth to work car, it was traded along with a 49 Champion Starlight on a new 71 Chrysler Newport Royal for my mother.

I found this interesting, hope others will too. As I said before, these early a/c units have always interested me. My mother who is now 87 remembers the old President and that I liked to stand in the back seat in front of the discharge tube and feel the cold air hit my face. It stands out in our minds because we had a/c in our car before we had it in our house.

Bill Sapp
Hamlet, NC

[Johnnywiffer]

Here is another thread concerning AC. http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...TOPIC_ID=21960 The only things it does not show are the controls and the actual unit. Here they are. These are from the '57 Packard I "stripped".





This unit is, of course, a re-circulation system. The Owner's Manual suggest that, if you want "fresh" air, open the side vents. If it's dusty, instead open the front vent windows.

Good luck.

John

[Commander51]

The Classic Air unit is the only thing which comes close to a fit, and that is under rather than behind the dash. I've gone through all this before, and while I never installed anything (today's 90 degrees has me rethinking that) I have reluctantly concluded that the trunk unit is the best way to go for the bullets... until Paul has sucessfully installed the Classic Air model


51 Commander State Sedan
Butler PA