Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

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If you mean the factory AC controls with the 3 switches mounted in the pod housing at the base of steering column in front of speedo then 2 relays are involved. A small one in the pod which ran the solenoid valve and a large one with an external fuse similar to an OD relay located under instrument panel near emerg. brake. If not that, then anything in dash proper would be for something other than 54 factory. 55-6 had a single knob in dash but unit and electrical was quite different than 54.

Using a heater box is an intriguing idea and will be interested in following along both projects to see how you make out.

From what I can tell by disassembling both a '48 and a '56 heater box is that it will take at least two boxes to make it work. There isn't enough room in a single box to fit both a heater core and an evaporator core, plus all the flapper valves to direct airflow, etc.

As soon as I can make it back up to my parts car I'll be robbing the heater box off of it and bringing it down here to make a mockup. I've also got a couple of modern parts cars that will make perfect donors for things like compressors, lines, evaporators, condensers, etc. I've got almost everything I need to make a proper mockup of parts and to see if it would all fit where I need it to, as well as work and look factory original, even though it won't be.

At the time all the GM and Ford units were way too big or configured wrong for the Packard but if you have access to an aftermarket AC catalog and they still sell evaporators separately, you might be able to find a smaller one that will fit the heater box--although the smaller, the less capacity for such a large car. That was one of the problems I ran into.

This is one I bought many years ago when I made one of my first underdash 56 units. It is 12?L x 6H x 3?D & was adequate for front but not much cool got to back seat.

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Thanks, I had to go look again; I guess I do not then! I do have controls to work the vent doors Right and left and on the other side the Temp side control says Air which means air control although that cable dose connect to a control box that dose have a wire coming out of it going to a hidden location. Although all this will be in the near future to attack..



For right now I am having timing issues and I believe it just has the wrong cam in her, the opening and closing of the valves just do not sync with the timing mark on the cam timing gear. To get them to open and close near where they should be that gear will read 180 off the Crank TDC mark. (just baffled)..

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One thing to keep in mind is that the particular evaporator core in that picture is a round tube and fin type. The round tube and fin design is the most inefficient way to transfer heat and modern designs reflect this. That's why all the newer heater cores, trans coolers, evaporators, etc. are of the superior flat tube type like this:






I'm betting that this will out-cool the original unit shown in your picture by a factor of 10 or more. Of course, the only way to know for sure is to build it and see.

Probably right but all aftermarkets seem to be the round tube.

Problem with the factory type of the time aside from almost a foot square was the core thickness and airflow direction. No way to space it out enough to get air flow thru the flat. The tubes were nowhere close to what was needed either.

With the heater box so air can flow thru the flat side, you have a better option than the 5-6 where it has to be thru the edge. There is just no room to make anything thicker than about 5 inches fit up under like the original. The Classic Air Hurricane units sit much lower than the factory and yours may also have to go low.

Mod the heater box for AC evaporator and blower moter is a good idea. However i doubt that it can be done on The V8 models because of the valve cover. It sets only about 1.5" below the heater box. Not much room for growth there of the heater box. Hood hinge won't allow for any heater box growth toward the rite side of the car either.

Any AC unit fabrication needs to keep the blower motor for the AC outside of the cabin otherwise there will be alot of noise. That's about the only complaint i have about my Mark IV unit is the noisy fan. The AC blower motor gets HOT too!!!

Keith, you're not thinking 4th Dimensionally!

Extend the heater box forward on a V8 car, it's the only place to go.

And I see no need to place the blower motor in any other place other than the stock location. On my '48 it will be located in the original spot, pulling air from the duct like original.

As for the factory type evaporator core, depends on which one you use.

The blower motor drawing OUTSIDE air to the AC coils is just fine for dry arrid climates. Here in Tennessee the humidity is much too high to allow for that. Here the AC air must be recirculated thru the inside of the car.

Ahh, good point. Kansas is the same way too. I might have to go with my original idea and use another route...