Classic Hifi Care

I ran across this article after a Google search. Bishop and Babcock made the air conditioning systems for Packard. This is a pretty good discussion of the subject.

https://forums.aaca.org/topic/32996-air-conditioning/

2 years ago, there was a packard at hershey with ac. Old cadillac friend, Doug Houston who was also an audiophile, had a 41 cadillac with air. He wrote extensive documents on it.

One of the last pre-war cars to have it was the Dutchess: https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/ny13/lo ... al-motors/

I was at the auction and it was a great disappointment when it didn't sell. Thankfully, it's safe in a collection now. The story of this particular car is amazing. It's actually mentioned in several books because of the people (Eddie, Wallace and Sloan) and how the car was "triggered" to be built... basically, buy it NOW because we're going to war and you won't get a new car...

Thanks guys, I did not realize the story about A/C and when it started to show up in vehicles.

Walter, that is quite the story about the 41 Caddy, I really enjoyed that history lesson. What a beautiful design and Rolls Royce had nothing on Cadillac back in those days.

Bill

GM was wimpy where it came to the gadgets we take for granted. Chrysler was first for hydraulic brakes. Olds with hydramatic. Packard with power windows and air. Chrysler with power locks and cruise... exclusive and way ahead of its time auto dim mirrors. Swivel seats were replaced in the Eldorado Brougham with a troublesome "memory seat". Chrysler sold tons of them.

GM spent a ton on the air suspension that could have worked had it been a sealed freon system...

Took GM until 1965 to adopt curved side windows.

To me, a totl luxury sedan in 1962 was an imperial lebaron. My fleetwood is special but that imperial is the epitome of the time. Thow in a HIWAY-HIFI and it's no contest.

GM was not always the first to introduce a feature, but they were generally the first to "get it right". I'm not certain the curved side glass was a plus, at least in the first few years. Leaks and wind noise, particularly in the four door hardtop cars. Swivel seats and swivel steering columns were not good in a crash. The only saving grace as far as I'm concerned to the Imperial models was their 413 V-8 power plants. Most of those cars have been in demolition derbies and the English like them for banger racing. Every time I see one, I think of Milburn Drysdale on the Beverly Hillbillies....

I really liked the 1957-1960 Cadillac Eldorado Broughams. Wildly expensive and with panache to spare, but they were beautifully built cars. You never see an Imperial at a car show. Those and the big Lincolns aren't popular with collectors like the GM cars are.

I have always loved the Imperials, my aunt and uncle had one and theirs had the 45 record player in it. I do not remember the year, late 50s' I think.

Bill