Airconditioning for Model A

[Bill Goddard]

With this hot weather maybe being the norm for the next few years I am forced to consider the possibility of A/C for the fordor sedan in my avatar. I am in the middle of a frame up restoration so major mods would be possible tho not desirable. Does anyone have an opinion or design for an installation. Ideally it should be reversable so there would be no sign of it if I took it out later. I think I might need a high compression head like 5.5 or 6.0 to run a compressor. Where would the compressor be mounted and how much would such a setup cost. And of coarse - who has the parts? Thanks for any help Bill G

[Russ/40]

Don't have the answer to all your questions, but the company is "Vintage Air."

[Special Coupe Frank]

I saw a guy at Macungie a few years back with an original or older resto Fordor; had a Honda generator on the luggage rack, and a small window A/C unit hung on the driver's rear door, with some cribbing down to the running board to brace it....

Not pretty, but I'll bet he stayed cool !

[1931 flamingo]

I've seen discussions of a few w/ac. Believe they were in texas. Someone should chime in.
Paul in CT

[MikeK]

With a firewall insulator, a muffler heat shield, and the floor, body, doors, and roof insulated the car will be at least 10 degrees cooler when driving with no A/C. You'll need that stuff for A/C anyway, so include it on your interior resto. If it's still too hot add the A/C later.

The best high capacity A/C kit for a Model A is from Ken Davis in Dallas. He had an A/C seminar in '08 at the Dallas MARC/MAFCA World Meet. Way better than the Vintage Air stuff. Here's the link:

http://kendavismodela.com/AirConditioners.html

[Jordan]

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I agree. Ken Davis is the man to go to. He builds AC's for Model A's, and model A's only. His compressors don't have any affect on the performance of the motor. I will hopefully have one of his units before next summer. I have driven several peoples cars with his AC units, and it freezes you out of there. And if you ever decide to take it out, there are no signs of it ever being in the car.

[Mike V. Florida]

Try this for one third the price;

[jaguar6165]

theres a few guys down here in Central Florida in the local club running AC. they said they got their kits from a guy in Arizona i think. he puts a kit together using different parts that work well on the As. Its kind of a neat kit, the compessor mounts under the hood and everything else mounts behind the rear exle under the car. I believe it runs about $1100. It comes with the vents and controls all together in a unit that they mounted under the gas tank but it may be possible to hide it under the front seat with them sticking out from under the seat. ill try to get more info for you.

[jaguar6165]

That window unit is probably one of the most ridiculous things ive seen. Must feel really good though.

[Logan]

CALL KEN DAVIS!!!!! He makes the only, and best set up for the model a that is truly ment for the model a. He has been making them for 20+ years, and knows what he is doing. His Brackets are set up so that it will leave no traces of ever being there if you want to remove it. Vintage air, will work, but not very good in a 4 door. Their condinsor is not big enough. Kens is a bolt on application, that will take you one solid day of work and it will freeze your ass off in the back seat of your sedan. The website is kendavismodela.com and he is in colleyville texas. Ask anybody who has one, they are NEVER dissapointed.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by jaguar6165

theres a few guys down here in Central Florida in the local club running AC. they said they got their kits from a guy in Arizona i think. he puts a kit together using different parts that work well on the As. Its kind of a neat kit, the compessor mounts under the hood and everything else mounts behind the rear exle under the car. I believe it runs about $1100. It comes with the vents and controls all together in a unit that they mounted under the gas tank but it may be possible to hide it under the front seat with them sticking out from under the seat. ill try to get more info for you.

Sounds like ken davis' unit. UNDER THE SEAT WILL NOT WORK, he has already tried that. It will freeze you ankles off, but the top of the car will never get cool, and if your head isnt cool you body will never cool down. Therefore the airconditioning is a waste of money. They way kens is mounted. its low enough to cool the floor board but aimed upwards to cool the top of the car. Works GREAT.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Try this for one third the price;

This guy now has one of kens units also, the window unit didnt work out so well for him after that trip.

[jaguar6165]

oh ok thanks for the info. I havent asked the guys running the ac any questions about them so i dont know too much i just know they are out there.

[Jason in TX]

I'm running a Ken Davis A/C unit in my Cabriolet. It's the only way to go. I installed it myself in the Driveway. The key tool you will need for installation will be a Vacuum Pump to suck all the atmospheric air out of the system before filling with freon. The solution to acquiring that tool is go to Autozone and rent it for FREE. Yup. $0. Just a deposit that you get back when you return it.

Also, the key to getting cold air in the car is to not feed the evap unit under the dash hot air. So, insulate that floorboard and firewall really well and it will work much better. The cooler the air you feed the vents, the easier time it has making that air colder when it blows in your face.

What you are getting is a plate that mounts to the generator mount and one of the water pump bolts. Then on that plate mounts the A/C compressor at the top, and your 12V alternator at the bottom. You must convert to 12V. You also get custom hoses made for Model As that are long that extend back to the condenser radiator and electric fan mounted behind your rear axle and you also get brackets to mount the dryer by the steering box. Also there is a bracket that allows you to mount the hang down evaporator unit below your gas tank.

It's a great kit that you will be happy with, and your passengers will enjoy, too!!

[JunkOSC]

Elrod,
Any chance of getting a picture or two of the set up? I would like to see the engine area and back by the rear axle...

Thanks,
Tim

[pprather]

The web site is no longer active. Is there other contact info for Ken Davis?

[Logan]

Originally Posted by pprather

The web site is no longer active. Is there other contact info for Ken Davis?

[email protected]

[NealTX]

For Ken Davis try: [email protected]

[kenparker]

I did not like the way the Ken Davis kit mounted or the hose runs. Did my own design with some major changes from the way Ken Davis does his. I have put A/C in my 31 coupe and it works well. Just finished putting A/C in the Slant windshied 4 dr. The A/C was planed in the S/W from the ground up. Lots of insulation and brackets and mounting were designed and installed as the resroation was done.

On each car I am running a HC head and there is negligible (sp) pull on the engine at all or any speed. In fact on the coupe engine (Brumfield head) when the compressor kicks in while engine is at idel the tachometer does not change. She idles at 550 rpm.

Compressor and alternator mounting bracket is mounted to the what was the generator mount and is braced to one of the water pump bolts with a built in adjusting slide. It is a one piece bracket that holds both units. Condensor mounts under the body - behind the differeintail -oops sp. total cost for compressor condensor evaporator hoses drier brackets was around $1100.

In the Texas heat my wife says it is a necessary -- and I kinda agree.

[kenparker]

for more info email me at [email protected] or call 903 963-1650. Ken