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Did the Packard trunk mounted air conditioner have an option to recirculate the inside air through the unit or just bring in outside air through the quarter panel mounted vents?
John

It used predominately recirculated air. The outside vents were connected to return air plenums by a two or three inch duct while the main blower supply was from recirculated air delivered thru large 6 x 9 vent openings and even larger plenums which spanned the top of evaporator box.

Here are a couple of photo of the package shelf and plenums. The shelf photo was posted by Let the ride Decide and the other is from the service manual. On the shelf, the two center oval screened openings are returns while the louvered outside ducts deliver the cold air. The small knobs operate mechanisms similar to the windshield wiper switch to move a cable and operate flapper valves to admit or shut off air from the outside vents. One knob for each side. On the plenum photo, note the return air (and outside air) is admitted to the evaporator top (a plenum is on each end) and is pulled thru the evaporator coil by the blowers and sent out after it is cooled. There is also a thermostat under one of the plenums to measure the incoming air and control the bypass valve accordingly. Unlike other years, the desired temperature was adjustable by the driver.

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Thanks HH56.

I would avoid any attempts to make or utilize any Fresh Aire intake for the airconditioner of ANY car. (ONLY fresh aairee for the heater, a completelyDIFFERENT animal). Especialy avoid AC fresh air in very humid climates. Maybe out west where the air is very dry the fresh air for AC is ok. But definately not in areas where the humidity is high.

In high humidity climates it is best to recirc the already dried out air that has previously passed over the evaporator coils. Otherwise, the evap could ice up.

"air conditioning" is primarily air CONDITIONING more so than it is air cooling.

Let me put it another way:
AC is more of a DEhumidiiffier than it is for just cooling the air.

Yeah I usually run my AC on Max setting on newer cars. This recirculates the inside air.
John