Air conditioning in a open car

[Aok]

I sold my coupe a while back and thinking about another car, maybe a open car possibly a phaeton. However being a new transplant to Texas I find it is hot and I may need to install a/c and wondering if it would be worth the time and expense to install a/c in a open car.
So just wondering if anyone has done that and is it worth doing .

[alexiskai]

Contact Ken Davis, he makes Model A A/C systems and lives in TX. I bet you'd get a lot of thoughts on it.

http://www.kendavismodela.com/

[Purdy Swoft]

Open cars are the hottest . The dash panel directs air to the floor when the windshield is let out on the closed cars , not so on the open cars . I had a friend in Texas that air conditioned his deluxe phaeton .

[MAG]

A friend is installing AC in a Cabriolet. Not quite finished so have no information on how well it works.

[Purdy Swoft]

A cabrolet would be a better choice because it has roll up windows . It would be necessary to use side curtains on roadsters and phaetons . I never liked the look of side curtains and doubt that they would do as good of a job sealing in the cool as glass roll up windows do .

[Dave in MN]

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I have a Phaeton and a '31 S/W with the air conditioner alexiskai describes. Based on the output of the unit I have, the blast of cool air from the AC unit would help you to feel cooler if installed in a Phaeton.
Good Day!

[rotorwrench]

In the north country, folks drive their model As in the spring, summer, and fall then put them up for the winter. Here in Texas, folks drive their cars in the fall, winter, and spring then put them up for the summer. That's how I've been doing it for the last 35 years or so since I moved to south Texas. There will be a few cool fronts go through in the summer but not too many. From the middle of July through the end of September, it's hot as Hades but it cools off in October. Nights aren't too bad as long as your generator is up to it for the headlamps.

If a person starts thinking about AC, they also have to think about 12-volt systems & enough amperage output to keep all that stuff running. There is nothing simple about these type of conversions.

[daveymc29]

I also found that the evaporator took up some foot space and I responded by installing a switch and solenoid to operate the starter motor, as I had trouble getting my foot over the original starter button. I bought a Mustang solenoid and modified the original starter switch. Not difficult and doesn't look any more odd than the A/C unit and compressor over the alternator. Certainly not for the purist, but it blows cold air up which has been welcome these last few days. This is on a coupe and I have thought of doing same for my roadster, though it seems a bit of trouble and expense for very small gain. Wife has scleroderma so it may happen for her sake. (Very difficult to control her body temperature with this decease.)

[Synchro909]

How soft has our species become since the Model A was current? No air cond then and they survived.

[Railcarmover]

Originally Posted by daveymc29

I also found that the evaporator took up some foot space and I responded by installing a switch and solenoid to operate the starter motor, as I had trouble getting my foot over the original starter button. I bought a Mustang solenoid and modified the original starter switch. Not difficult and doesn't look any more odd than the A/C unit and compressor over the alternator. Certainly not for the purist, but it blows cold air up which has been welcome these last few days. This is on a coupe and I have thought of doing same for my roadster, though it seems a bit of trouble and expense for very small gain. Wife has scleroderma so it may happen for her sake. (Very difficult to control her body temperature with this decease.)

A friend just lost his wife to scleroderma,godspeed.

[77Birdman]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

How soft has our species become since the Model A was current? No air cond then and they survived.

LOL. My wife has a mustang convertible and we drive it all the time in the summer with the top down and a/c on. It does help keep the temp down a bit. I guess on a big open car it would at least keep your feet cool. Not sure I would go through all of that trouble though. I havent hooked up the air on my classic yet and with black on black it gets pretty hot in the summer sun. I just skip those days for a cooler one. Unfortunately I missed a couple of good shows this summer due to heat indexes way above 100. But now autumn is approaching an I will drive the heck out of it.

[Werner]

Hi AOK, as you can see from the swirling scarf and the flapping dog ears, you do not need an additional air conditioning machine!

[Aok]

The replies echo what I was thinking that there would not be much of a advantage in a open car.I guess I just wanted confirmation, but good point about cabriolet windows, something to think about.

[ETAModel]

Born and Raised in North Texas, I've seen it 117 and 12 degrees...The 1st car I owned that had air conditioning was in 1993. Up till then i was driving a 1969 chevy pickup with that famous 2/55 A/C...both windows open at 55 MPH. The heater and defrost was fair; I had to wear 2 pairs of socks plus kept a pair in the seat to wipe down the window. A few heavy feed sacks under the floorboard kept some of the cold air at bay.

We've been driving the 30 Fordor every weekend and several week days since getting it earlier this year. When people ask about the MPG I tell them it gets "Smiles Per Gallon", and I think that applies here as well.

Do you think the guys(girls) on the golf course are considering putting A/C in their Carts?? How about the folks fishing on the lake? A/C in their Bass Boat?

This is Texas, Deal with it. "If you dont like the weather in Texas, just give it a minute...it'll change"

[Aok]

I can deal with the heat just getting a little older and want to spoil myself.
If I played golf I would want A/c in my golf cart. Which is why I like bowling it has A/c it's close to the bathroom & the bar .
I would hate to have people fight over my money so I plan to spend it all before I go to that bone yard in the the sky.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

I am 65, finding the need to dress warmer in the winter, this year had to turn up the thermostat a couple of degrees to keep warm. Also can not take the heat/humidity in the 90s as well. If am active outside for a while kinda drains me, and get out of breath and feel lightheaded. Also sweated through my shirt when driving in the A, especially my back against the seat cushion. I put up with it, since this is only a month or less Wisc. Takes some of the enjoyment out of it. So for those in a worse climate than me, if you got the cash to convert the electrical and add A.C - whatever keeps you on the road and makes it enjoyable, I say go for it.


For those who want to tough it out and also enjoy it, again whatever makes you happy.


As the saying goes - "Whatever Foats your Boat". No worries.

[apbright]

I drove my '31 Roadster today from Los Gatos (southern SF Bay Area) to Lake Berryessa and back for some jet-skiing with my son. That's 225 miles of driving round trip, in particularly hot weather - about 95ºF for most of the drive. With the top down, hat on, and a bottle of water at the ready, it was manageable. I didn't prop the windshield open (as mine is a bit fidgety), but that could have made things cooler.

Air conditioning systems can be fitted, and I have seen many in hard-top cars.. However, for such to be effective in an open car, one would have had to have the top up, and side-curtains on. That is something I do when driving in very cold weather - which for me means less than 35ºF. With that set-up, due to incidental engine heat, one can be comfortable down to about 10ºF. As such, in order to provide good cooling, in addition to being top-up and side curtains on, I expect one would want to have a thermal firewall insulator added, to prevent the A/C from just fighting the engine heat.

(link to example firewall insulator below - no commercial connection to me)
https://www.quietride.com/product/fi...-Insulator.pdf

[Synchro909]

Hmm, Inmteresting. Made in California andthjey show a RHD car.