when did nash do it ?

pontiac1953 · August 24th, 2009

i have read in more than one automotive history book, and have seen on the internet, several references to state that nash was first to offer up front, in dash, factory air conditioning in 1954, but i have never found a specific date as to when nash did this. i know that pontiac started production for it's 1954 models in december 18, 1953, and before january 1st 1954, nine pontiac starchiefs were built with complete, up front, in dash, factory air conditioning, and for the rest of the 1954 pontiac model year, another 6,314 were ordered and built with factory air conditioning. charles l. coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor, 25 years, pontiac oakland club international club historian, 8 years, so my question remains, "when did nash do it ?"

pontiac1953 · August 24th, 2009

and also, both john gunnell in his book "75 years of pontiac", and the late thomas bonsall's book "pontiac! they built excitement", state that the 1954 pontiac factory air was the industry first as for being the first with up front, in dash, factory air.

pontiac1953 · August 26th, 2009

hi, mr bracewell, who is part of the nash car club, forward my question for all the nash car club members to see, and i have heard back from some. so far, no one has produced any evidence that shows nash came out with air conditioning before pontiac did.

DeSoto Frank · September 12th, 2009

I think part of the confusion arises from Nash's marketing of their famed "Weather Eye" heater system starting the late 1930's, which offered "Conditioned air for winter driving".

They were still using this lingo in the owner's manual for my '61 Rambler American. (Which did have an A/C option that used the Weather-Eye heater / fan / fresh-air plenum, but the A/C outlets /controls were mounted under the dash, in an accesory console)

Essentially, what this meant was Nash had a heater system that utilized fresh-air inducted from the cowl vent. I believe the Weather Eye system also had a filter media to catch dust & dirt.

Packard, Cadillac, and Chrysler offered the first A/C systems, starting with the 1941 model year, with the refrigeration unit in the trunk.

Can't speak as to the first in-dash system.

dalef62 · September 24th, 2009

My dad has a 1954 Nash with factory in the dash, up front A/C Weather Eye. Not sure of the build date but it is a 1954 Nash Ambassador/ with the Lemans engine.