Re: 1941 PACKARD MAKES ICE CUBES

Posted by 58L8134 On 2016/10/20 15:44:24

Hi

The following paragraph regarding the air conditioning option for 1940, is quoted from the book The Classic Era by Beverly Rae Kimes, page 612:

"Air conditioning was available at $274. "Cooled by Mechanical Refrigeration in the Summer," Packard advertised. A continuously operating compressor was mounted up front on the right side of the engine, the lack of a clutch not being considered much of a problem. The faster the car was driven the cooler it became. During hot summer days Alvan Macauley's wife and grand-daughter had to wear fur coats in the air-conditioned '38 Packard that was built for him. A chloride compound was the cooling medium and corroded vital components over time. Despite problems, air conditioning was a first that commanded press attention. So did Hydra-Matic which GM introduced on the Oldsmobile only as a $57 option, and sealed beam headlamps which appeared on 95% of all American cars."


Has anyone seen documentation or photos of the Alvan Macauley air conditioned '38 Packard? It must have been one of the prototypes installations.

Steve