Den41Buick Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Has anyone had success with finding an air conditioning system that is compatible with a 6 volt electrical system? If so, can you adapt it to a pre-war car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bob Call Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) The problem with most A/C systems available is the electric clutch on the compressor. It's next to impossible to find one for 6V. I have seen reference to 6V clutches made for John Deere but can't get confirmation from any of the aftermarket A/C vendors I have asked, like Vintage Air Getting a custom 6V coil wound for the clutch is cost prohibitive. To get a reasonable price, the Chinese companies want a minimum order of 1,000 units. For a 6V system your only choice is to find a 6V Novi or Mark IV aftermarket unit from the early 1950's. These systems have a trunk mounted evaporator and clutch-less constantly running compressor. The constantly running compressor type system is what Packard and Cadillac offered in 1941. This type of system is controlled by a temperature control valve that bypasses the evaporator with a portion of the refrigerant sending it back to the condenser. These systems delivered the cooled air to the passenger compartment via ducts through the package shelf behind rear seat into clear plastic tubes up to the headliner area. Chrysler Corporation began offering its AirTemp A/C of this type in the 1954 Imperial. However, the 1954 Imperial was 12V while the rest of their car lines didn't convert to 12V until the 1955 models. I have a 1952 Imperial, with the hemi V8, that I am going to A/C. I found a compressor mount for a 1954 Imperial which was also a hemi V8. I then located a 6V 1953 Novi system that was originally installed in a 1953 Olds. Using the Chrysler compressor mount I can easily adapt all of the Novi parts to the Imperial. There is a complete Novi system that has been on ebay for several months. It came from a 1955 Lincoln so the blower motors will be 12V. 6V blower motors can be found new and used just have to get the right rotation direction. It has not sold because the guy is asking $1,500 for an item that has a very limited market.http://www.ebay.com/itm/370516791159?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT My bad on above info. I re-read the ad. The A/C came from 55 Mercury not a Lincoln and it IS 6V blowers. So, it will fit Fords and Mercurys but will need compressor mount for any other brand. Edited August 17, 2015 by Bob Call (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PONTIAC1953 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 the 1954 pontiac factory air conditioning, designed by GM's harrison division, used a 6 volt clutch on the tecumseh compressor and a very powerful 6 volt blower motor. six months later 1954 nash used a 6 volt clutch on a tecumseh compressor also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5219 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 1955 Lincolns were 6 Volt. Lincoln went to 12 volts in 1956. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger914 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Has anyone had success with finding an air conditioning system that is compatible with a 6 volt electrical system? If so, can you adapt it to a pre-war car?Have you ever considered an inline 6 to 12 voltage doubler one for the clutch and one for the fan http://www.pjmsales.com.au/dcdcstepup.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozrocks Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 If you are going to fit an air conditioner to a pre war car would it not be smarter just to convert the car to 12 volt.It's very simple and very cost effective.In the long run it will be cheaper, and think of the thousands of systems available to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bob Call Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 How would converting the car to 12V be cheaper than using step ups to convert 6V to 12V for the clutch and blowers? Also, Chrysler products with Fluid Drive, Gyro Drive or Torque Drive transmissions don't take to 12V conversion very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen_Dyneto Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 There are quite a few folks who have reported satisfactory performance of 12-volt compressor clutches operating on 6-volt systems which typically run at about 7.2 volts. Can't say one way or the other from any first-hand experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermontboy Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Converting 6V to 12V is not always "very simple and very cost effective", the example of the early Chrysler transmissions with the solenoid built into the transmission case being just one example. I have no idea what the fascination with 12V conversions is. My Model "A" regularly started at 20 below zero, one morning at 30 below while my new car wouldn't even turn over. One stalwart who drove a 30's Packard truck conversion and a '28 Buick roadster as his daily drivers in the 60's reported that the Buick was the best cold starting car he ever had...... he lived in Northern Vermont and stated that the Buick started one morning at 46 below. 6V works fine with proper battery cables and a good ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozrocks Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 How would converting the car to 12V be cheaper than using step ups to convert 6V to 12V for the clutch and blowers? Also, Chrysler products with Fluid Drive, Gyro Drive or Torque Drive transmissions don't take to 12V conversion very well.The question is in regard to a pre war vehicle. That's pre 1939. I was under the impression that Chrysler's fluid drive came into being during 1939. Were there other gearboxes prior to this that used 6V solenoids?The other point is that 1950's 6 volt air conditioners were very large and very inefficient. Since we are fitting an a/c we aren't worried about originality. So surely the smart thing to do is to fit a modern compressor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bkazmer Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 your 1939 date for "pre-war" is historically right, but in an automotive sense usually means prior to the cessation of new car manufacturing in the US, which occurred early in the 1942 model year. So Packard had introduced AC on the 1940 models, followed by Cadillac and Chrysler in 1941. This system had no clutch, as described earlier in the thread. A modern compressor does look (to me) screamingly out of place in a pre-war engine bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 I know of an early '50s Desoto running its original Hemi with 6-volt electrical system and A/C was added along with a separate 12V alternator and battery in the trunk to power it. It's quite cleverly done and while it's not invisible, it does solve the problem without any modifications that can't be unbolted and removed. Very nicely done. Hi-res photos attached so you can see the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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