A/C in a 40 Ford

[47Merc]

I would like to install A/C in my 40 Coupe. Summer is coming.
The car has been converted to 12 volts for this but the installation of the compressor appears to be a bit tricky because of the radiator hoses.

Does anyone have some photos of a 39 or 40 with A/C fitted to a stock engine that they can share. I can make up the brackets required if they are not available commercially.
Thanks

[flatheadmurre]

Not very good looking if you ask me...but gets the job done.
http://www.alangrovecomponents.com/Ford_Flathead.htm

[TJ]

Check with Vintage Air in Texas.

[drolston]

Think at least twice. My experience is that if the firewall is properly sealed from the engine compartment and you have decent insulation under the floor mats, the only time you really need AC is when idling in traffic. That flathead is not going to like the added 5 -10 horsepower of drag the compressor will add while sitting in traffic. An electric fan is a marginal improvement because of the added load to the alternator, again causing the engine to work harder at idle, and overheat.

That cowl vent works remarkably well, at speed.

[19Fordy]

Your 85 HP engine will be "Taxed to the max" and probably run hotter.
Plus you'll need to a new radiator and all the appliances required for a modern day A/C.
Save your money. Remember, only street rods have a/c.

[Henry Floored]

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I have to admit that I have never owned or driven a Flathead powered vehicle with air but I have driven two with C4 automatic transmissions. People routinely tell me that an auto trans will sap too much power from a Flatty. In my own personal experience I have found this to be untrue.

I too would like to put air in my '41 as summers in Florida are ridiculous. I do not like the top mount compressor. If I ever get around to doing this I will fab a fixed mount above the passenger side cyl head and use an adjustable tension pulley to tighten the belt.

The key to making this work well is to put a "stepper solenoid" on the carb to bump engine speed when the compressor kicks on.

Vintage Air, I believe is advertising some very cool and period looking self contained under dash units. This is doable.

[Marvin/TN]

When I get my 46 Coupe on the road I plan to have A/C and a C-4 in it. I wear a prosthesis on my Rt leg so don't want to use the Str shift Trans so was glad to read you comment about the C-4 not sapping a lot of power. I have never tried to fit a C-4 in a stock frame but have put in a Chev 350 trans and no cutting of the X Member is required nor is splitting the wish bone or cutting the firewall. I have a spare 46 Chassis
if anyone is looking for one.

[oldford2]

Some time ago there was a pic on this site that showed a small generator on a small trailer towed by a Ford that fed into a small window A/C unit fitted in the car. I thought it was a good idea and certainly caused a lot of conversation. And the engine was unchanged.
John

[chuck stevens]

47merc, Henry Floored, I have A/C on my 40 with a c4 auto. The trans doesn't bother the flathead, but the air is a different story. I run a 100 amp alternator and two cooling fan, a pusher that turns on with the A/C, and a puller that turns on at 200 degrees. Would I do it again.....NO. Open the cowl vent, roll the windows down, and go sixty. My experience has been a real can of worms. glad to answer any questions, Chuck S.

[19Fordy]

I think Chuck (above) says it all. Below is a photo of my friends 40 and engine built by Motor city Flathead years ago. Custom pulleys and brackets had to be made to make it all look good. The a/c placement isn't bad. However, the rest of the system was never installed. Car also has a C-4 with a 9 inch rear. Location is FL

[47COE]

Here's how one guy added AC to his 37 pickup:

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/14...ditioning.html

[chap52]

Check with www.oldairproducts.com They have a couple of options. I have one of there units and no problems. I will it admit that even in the Arizona heat I prefer to drive with the windows down, wings and cowl vent open. When mama's in the truck it's a/c time.

[Bob C]

You need to think outside the box.

Bob

[VeryTangled]

Originally Posted by Bob C

You need to think outside the box. Bob

Hi Everyone. The C clamp at the running board is the icing on the cake for me!

[chap52]

FYI, old air products has a completely under dash unit, and even one that can be placed in the trunk? Check out the custom unit section of their web page.

[JWL]

I have a/c on my 1940. I live in south Georgia in the valley of the heat. I use the stock fan and a 16" electric pusher in front of the condenser. The electric fan has only been activated in traffic jams. The car has operated at fast idle in some situations where traffic was stopped for an hour in 90+ degrees. I have NEVER overheated my rebuilt 276 engine, with stock water pumps, in 15 years of use which includes a drive over the Rocky Mountains in August. I did change to a Walker radiator after several bouts with the horse collar breaking loose at the top tank of the stock radiator. Also, I did a poor job with the initial drain hose installation from the evaporator and had to do some rework on that.

[hotrodA]

John, did you mount the compressor up top?
Your engineering, or an over the counter mount?

BTW, I, for one, miss your technical expertise and clear headed posts. Always took them as gospel.

[JWL]

I made a bracket similar to what is offered and mounts to the intake manifold. Of course I had to over-engineer a support collar to back up the center bolt of the original generator mount.

Thanks for your comments.
JWL

[drolston]

Another "no problem" vote for the C4.

My wife drives a '34 pickup with a '53 Merc hooked to C4 automatic. Driven all over the country and the only time it ever got over 200 was idling in a traffic jam on a 95 degree day, with a steady tail wind blowing into the open hood sides. Wished I had AC that day, but not enough spoil the looks under the hood. And it would have boiled over, for sure.

The radiator is of course custom, to accommodate the transmission cooler.

[47Merc]

Thanks for the feed back fellas. Its Ok to open the cowl vent and let the air in but if its 100 in the shade plus the heat from the road that's all you are going to get and in my part of the world we get that sort of temp in the summer.

As you can see by the photo its a bit difficult to mount a compressor on a 39 / 40 because of the radiator hoses. It seems like the post that 19forty put up with the picture blown motor looks to be the only way to go. I'll have to find some multiple belt pumps etc.