Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I'm getting ready to bite the bullet and buy air conditioning for my 56 Patrician.

It looks like a Sanden compressor and the associated bits and pieces, but no one seems to have a reliable list of just which bits and pieces.

I have talked to several vendors of supplies, and frankly my take is that they are:
a) Clueless. and
B) On commission.

I figure a simple underdash installation is fine--a modern Mark IV if you will.

I'm going to try this as a minimalist install, by which I mean no major upgrades. I have added a three ring puller and a six blade fan. The cooling suystem is in decent shape. Seems like the generator can get it done, so that's where we start from there.

Does anyone have vendor and or parts preferences here? Why?

I'm going 134 refrigerant primarily because it seems correct.

Would you add an electrical panel (and if so, where and how)?

I wanna be cool this summer!

I bought a unit from Nostalgic Airnostalgicairparts.com/ because they had the particular evaporator I wanted. The basic components are pretty much standard. Vintage says their micro tube style condenser works better with R134 and they do have the Mark IV repro underdash system if that is the style you want. I think it all boils down to the inside look you prefer. Classic Auto Air, Vintage Air, Old Air Products are all good companies with comparable systems and have been around a while.

Vintage, possibly the others usually have several local dealers in the street rod or restoration shop crowd so that might be an advantage. None of the aftermarket companies will have a compressor mount for the Packard so you or a dealer will be on your own there. Several versions or solutions have been posted here over the years and Jack Vines at one time did have some original mounts for sale. Maybe a possibility of getting one of those and adapting the universal Sanden mounting plate or arms to it which would save a lot of aggravation. Jack Nordstrom also makes a complete mount for the V8 although I think his is geared more for the low hood Hawk and, IMHO is pretty much overkill for us.

Not that u may have a lot of choice but try to pick a evaporator set up with a blower fan/motor that is EXTERNAL to the interior of the car.
I have a mid to late 50's Mark IV unit in mine and it is noisy as rock concert. The motor gives off a lot of heat too. Motor is rite next to my rite foot and it's not like my feet don't sweat enuf as it is. It cools well tho.

If i do another one i'll try to find some PRODUCTION car unit that i can adapt to the Packard with minimal effort instead of a dash or trans hump mount unit.

Prefer a trans hump mount over an under dash mount so that BEHIND dash maintenance of gauges asnd so-forth is not blocked. Be sure to attach flexible lines near the hump or under dash mount so u can remove it for behind the dash maintence.

WHATEVER U CHOOSE under NO circumstance let any of the so-called "professionals" talk u out of a SIGHT GLASS in the AC line. They are not expensive and are invaluable for diagnostics.

Come on, anyone, bring on your argument against the site glass. I'm ready. Cuz i know why u don't like to see those in an AC system.

Also make sure that the flexible lines that attach to the compressor are LONG ENUF to allow the compressor to be removed and set aside if and when engine or other major work is required. The pro's will try to make the flex lines as short as possible so that u have to come back to them for recharging. They don;t want a site glass because it allows the owner of the vehicle to charge and or diagnose without gauges.

The gauges, contrary to popular belief are NOT NECESSARY for charging or some diagnostics. I have factory instalation documentation here by Mark IV to prove it.

If u don;t have the site glass and have the evap hard plumbed or the compressor "hard plumbed" then u will wind up paying out the ass for AC that mite only work half of the time.

I mite encourage more to try to research some PRODUCTION CAR AC system that is adaptable to the Packard rather than an aftermarket 'under the dash' unit. The next one i do will be that way. My current Packard had already came with the Mark IV unit so i continued on with it. Works great but it's noisy due to interior fan motor and blows all of the cold air around the floor mostly.


If the ash trays are not a necessity for smokers in the car then they mite make a great AC vent with no butchering to the dash.

Keep us posted on your findings.

I've heard good things about Classic Auto Air in Florida.

classicautoair.com/

They make a trunk unit, and an under dash unit.

The trunk unit actually looks reasonably priced at $999.

classicautoair.com/trunk-air-conditioner.html

That trunk unit looks interesting. I can't remeber if the rear SHOCK absorBers are removed from inside the trunk or not. Mite be an issue with the rear mount system.

Shouldn't be a problem with the shocks. Think the issue would be the cooling in the front seat.

Unless a pair of the plexiglass air horns are found or made, the cool air with that setup practically never reaches the front. Particularly if there are passengers in back because it hits the back of their neck. I know it is supposed to follow the roof line and circulate but it doesn't do it that well. Had a 54 with just the standard package shelf louvers. After a while it did cool the car but if you were hot when getting in, you stayed that way for a while. And then, to keep driver comfortable, the back seat passengers were complaining. Cadillac or Buick used a trunk unit and actually had the plexiglass up the rear window to see thru and then connected to a duct above the headliner to bring the air to front seat area with vents above the door top & front edge.

Believe one of the early AC companies had a survey made that mentioned a very high percentage of the perceived cooling and satisfaction of a system was favorable to those whose air could blow directly on the face and body until the person was comfortable. One of the reasons all mfgs eventually changed to factory front or dash units despite the complexity of some doors and vents. Of course, the aftermarket under dash was cheap compared to trunk units so a big advantage in their pushing those wherever possible.

Since they make a trunk mounted unit, do you think it might be possible for them to hook up to an authentic Packard trunk unit. I have one in my 55 Pat.

Not sure what your question is. If your trunk unit is not working, then depending on what it needs, should be repairable. If a compressor is needed or you have a non functioning Lehigh or other brand no one seems to have parts for, the Sanden could be substituted and many have done just that. Bigger issue would be if one of the valves is gone & not repairable or the evaporator. There are a couple of places that can repair some older valves. Otherwise, might have to be converted to a modern thermostat & valve setup which would entail some changes. A modern cycling clutch temp control on an old compressor not designed to cycle has issues.

To replace an evaporator with a newer and smaller unit is very possible with a bit of sheetmetal work inside the case. I am doing just that on the factory in dash 55-56 unit-except that case is fairly simple. I am making the housing unit from scratch & keeping the original intact in case parts ever become available. That would provide new guts--although possibly slightly less cooling capacity due to the size change but keep the look. Possibly even the controls could be adapted so as to not notice anything new.

One sticking point is the size of the evaporator on the older systems. Their internal pressure drop and the valves are designed around R12 which has a different pressure/cooling relationship than R134. Recharging the system with R12 will be expensive since it's being phased out and in most places, legally has to be done by a certified AC tech. Sometimes the valves can be adjusted for the difference in pressure with the use of R134, other times not and new valves may not work well with the existing evaporator.

Some good useful thoughts in these answers.

What kind of connectors should the lines have?

As to Mark IV, I am looking at a replica Mark IV not a rehabilitated antique. Do your comments about noise and blower issues apply to the classic air repro unit?

What decisions that I can control that will make my car cooler? These are big cars with minimal insulation; I want cool air throughout the cabin.

Any thoughts on piercing the firewall?

I should point out that I have a new old air conditioning pulley with the extra groove and a new 6 blade fan.

Any other obvious pitfalls in ordering? Premium parts that are truly worth considering?

Thank you. On subjects like this I feel like an orphan with no one to guide me who has practicxal experience in this area.