54 Lincoln Capri ac system

[B-ster]

First post on here. I just bought a 54 Lincoln Capri with ac for my wife. The system seems to be complete including the plastic tubes from the trunk. 

My question is, is this a rarity? I would like to keep it and get it working for the originality of the car, but my wife wants to go with vintage air and get rid of the big box in the trunk and the tubes.

Would like to know if they are difficult to get parts for and if they can get converted to r-134.

I am in AZ and the car is a lifetime AZ car. It's been parked under a hay barn since 65. 98% complete.

Thanks

[34LaSalleClubSedan]

38 minutes ago, B-ster said:

First post on here. I just bought a 54 Lincoln Capri with ac for my wife. The system seems to be complete including the plastic tubes from the trunk. 

My question is, is this a rarity? I would like to keep it and get it working for the originality of the car, but my wife wants to go with vintage air and get rid of the big box in the trunk and the tubes.

Would like to know if they are difficult to get parts for and if they can get converted to r-134.

I am in AZ and the car is a lifetime AZ car. It's been parked under a hay barn since 65. 98% complete.

Thanks

Keep it original, or sell it to someone who will. Easier to replace a wife than this RARE option.

[B-ster]

So this car with this system in it is rare? 

[TexRiv_63]

Definitely a rare option on any 1954 car. Any A/C system can be converted to R-134 but the biggest issue is whether all parts of the stock system are there and are operable. Use a set of gauges and see if any refrigerant charge remains, if so you are way ahead and could possibly rebuild the system. If there is no charge then inspect to see if there are obvious holes in or damage to the pipes and hoses, meaning possible internal corrosion. In either case it will be difficult and expensive to get the system working but IMO worth it due to the rarity.

[B-ster]

Thanks. The car has been parked since 65 so it's gotta be empty by now. The compressor does turn. I pick it up tomorrow and will be doing a lot of tearing down and seeing what's there. I read where the cold air goes thru the tubes coming from the rear deck lid into some sort of ductwork with vents. Mine just shoots the air into the passenger compartment. Funny how those tubes are still intact and look to be in surprisingly good condition.

[61polara]

Even non-working this original system adds more market value to the car than a vintage air conversion.  Very, very rare.  Can you post pictures of the engine compartment, dash controls, trunk unit and the tubes and we may be able to verify that it is a factory unit and not an early aftermarket conversion.  The factory system is what really adds value to it.

[B-ster]

I will try to add pics once I get it here tomorrow. Do you know if the factory system goes into ducts in the ceiling or just blow from the tubes?

[Marty Roth]

My thought is to keep, maintain, or restore the original system.

At a bare minimum, you could still retain the parts, and "sneak" in the Vintage Air system to cool the car , maybe using the version which hides, showing only the vents under the dash edge.

[8E45E]

Yes, it is rare.  The old Special Interest Autos (pre-Hemmings Classic Car) did an interesting Comparison Report on Cadillac, Lincoln, and Imperial, each with factory air conditioning in all three cars.  The owner of the Lincoln added insulation between the roof panel and the headliner when he restored it.  Apparently, the early Lincolns lacked insulation to keep the interior cool on a very hot day; something to consider regardless which system, modern or original, is chosen.

 

Craig

[bobcanuck]

   I googled 1954 Lincoln air conditioner and found a number of user and shop manuals available.

[B-ster]

Thanks for all the info. I'll be posting some pics soon along with more info on the ac. I'm also looking for a carb as this car has none

[TexRiv_63]

5 hours ago, B-ster said:

I will try to add pics once I get it here tomorrow. Do you know if the factory system goes into ducts in the ceiling or just blow from the tubes?

My 57 Lincoln had the tubes going up into the headliner and two chrome vents on either side, do not know how it was done in 54.

[B-ster]

I'm afraid mine may be an early after market system since there's no vents or ductwork in the headliner

 

[61polara]

3 hours ago, B-ster said:

I'm afraid mine may be an early after market system since there's no vents or ductwork in the headliner

 

Don't give up yet. Post some pictures.  Those pictures are of a '57 Lincoln.  A lot can change in 3

years.

Edited February 5, 2022 by 61polara (see edit history)

[61polara]

When you take pictures, note any manufacturer tags.  See the following from a 2009 post from another website,  You may have a NOVI system, not a factory install, but it may have been Ford authorized.

 

"In 1954, the aftermarket air conditioning company NOVI marketed an air conditioning unit specifically for the 1954 Ford. Ford with their blessing, approved the units for installation in V8 Fords at the dealership level. As with other NOVI systems, they did without the fender mounted vents but still utilitzed the clear plastic tubes on the rear package shelf. However, they had to do without the overhead vent system and cold air discharged at the top of the tubes. These aftermarket systems were designed for quick, relatively easy installation therefore the hassles of removing headliners, running the duct work and vents was not even a consideration. However, most people see the discharge tubes and automatically assume they are connected to overhead vents, and in these situations, is not the case. "

[B-ster]

Well, got the car home. Here are some pics

[TexRiv_63]

Gigantic compressor! What is inside the trunk?

[Marty Roth]

1 hour ago, TexRiv_63 said:

Gigantic compressor! What is inside the trunk?

The evaporator, as I recall, would have been inside the trunk in this, as well as the earlier 1950s Cadillac , and 1940s Packard versions. Cooled air would then be forced, via tubes on the rear parcel shelf, either into the headliner, or directed through the car's interior.

 

Someone with more experience could likely add info.

[B-ster]

Here's the trunk piece an pics of the tubes and control. The controls aren't mounted to dash, just sitting on the floor. Now I'm trying to get the inside door handles off so I can take the door panels off. One window is down and car has power windows,so I'll find a way to get it up til I get a battery and see if anything electrical works at all. 

[B-ster]

Oops, forgot to attach pixs

[PONTIAC1953]

definitely aftermarket, taking over the center location for the radio rear speaker, and the speaker not relocated to the side of the air return grill and duct. no Lincoln name on control panel leans towards aftermarket installation as well.

[B-ster]

But there is a speaker in the center over the unit. I figured it was after market since there is no ducts in the ceiling. I guess it's still worth trying to get working. Still unique. The controls are hooked up to the compressor, that's how I knew they are the controls. Still trying to figure out whats what in the car. Any idea how to remove the power front seat?

 

 

[Marty Roth]

Nice looking Vintage Oil Can in the trunk?

And a Vintage bag of Snow Chains?

[B-ster]

Very good. That's a Mexican oil can probably from the 60s. Don't have a clue why an Arizona car would have tire chains either

[B-ster]

That pic was supposed to be showing the ac part in the trunk, but I guess there are surprises for everyone

[Marty Roth]

2 minutes ago, B-ster said:

Very good. That's a Mexican oil can probably from the 60s. Don't have a clue why an Arizona car would have tire chains either

Maybe the chains also work in the sand?

Far northern Arizona could have seen snow up in the mountains?

[61polara]

12 hours ago, B-ster said:

Any idea how to remove the power front seat?

 

There should be four bolts or lugs and nuts holding it in place.  They will go through the floor pan and are removed from under the car.

[B-ster]

I found bolts going from under the car into the thing the seat slides on but when I went under the car, there was a like box piece of floor pan covering where the bolt would be. And it's a permanent piece of floor, not removable.

[B-ster]

I probably won't be going back to the car until my respirator mask arrives. Kinda freaking out about shopvaccing all the rodent crap outta the car. Been reading about hantavirus and catching it by doing just what I did. Had old cheap dust mask and work gloves and vacuumed. Should have sprayed with disinfectant and picked up with paper towels. Should've worn rubber gloves and goggles. Got Dr appointment today to talk to him about probability of catching it and what to do. Shaking now just thinking about it.

[PONTIAC1953]

15 hours ago, B-ster said:

But there is a speaker in the center over the unit. I figured it was after market since there is no ducts in the ceiling. I guess it's still worth trying to get working. Still unique. The controls are hooked up to the compressor, that's how I knew they are the controls. Still trying to figure out whats what in the car. Any idea how to remove the power front seat?

 

 

that rectangular grill in the center of your package shelf, isn't a radio speaker grill, it is the a/c air return grill, designed to prevent things from falling down into the evaporator unit. below this grill, is a flexible canvas/rubber duct that returns the air back to the evaporator to be re-refrigerated again.

[PONTIAC1953]

here is the 1955 Buick factory rear a/c unit, having 2 return air openings, designed to not require the radio rear speaker to be relocated or eliminated. your aftermarket unit has no provisions for fresh outside air intake, this Buick unit does, there two black 2 inch inlet tubes pointed towards each rear fender, the 2 inch inlet tubes have a butterfly valve, summer position allows fresh outside air to be refrigerated and blown into the car's interior, the winter position shuts off outside air and allows full recirculation of the refrigerated air going to the interior. 2 pictures of the outside fresh air scoops i'm installing are shown here. i'm installing the 1955 Buick factory a/c into the trunk of my 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Custom Catalina.

[PONTIAC1953]

here's the 1955 Buick factory rear a/c control panel and switches, one switch controls the temp, the other engages the compressor and controls the blower fans speed.

[pfloro]

28 minutes ago, pontiac1953 said:

here's the 1955 Buick factory rear a/c control panel and switches, one switch controls the temp, the other engages the compressor and controls the blower fans speed.

I'm curious to know if the A/C temperature was controlled by cycling the compressor...  I believe that when GM moved everything "up front", the A5 & A6 compressors were not

cycled but ran continuously when A/C was selected.  I think that cooling capacity was controlled by modulating the amount of liquid R12 entering the evaporator.   I know that "CCOT"

(Clutch Cycling Orifice Tube) came later (with the R4 compressor...?).

 

pontiac1953:  I think it's great that you are installing a GM factory A/C system into your Pontiac...!  It's very cool...

 

Paul

Edited February 7, 2022 by pfloro (see edit history)

[PONTIAC1953]

27 minutes ago, pfloro said:

I'm curious to know if the A/C temperature was controlled by cycling the compressor...  I believe that when GM moved everything "up front", the A5 & A6 compressors were not

cycled but ran continuously when A/C was selected.  I think that cooling capacity was controlled by modulating the amount of liquid R12 entering the evaporator.   I know that "CCOT"

(Clutch Cycling Orifice Tube) came later (with the R4 compressor...?).

 

pontiac1953:  I think it's great that you are installing a GM factory A/C system into your Pontiac...!  It's very cool...

 

Paul

from what i know, there's no CCOT in the A5 or A6 compressor driven systems.

[B-ster]

Found out that the compressor is a Lehigh V93 unit. It seems to still be working. My mechanic spun the pulley with his finger over one of the nipples and it was making pressure. Think that's a good sign that it may not need rebuilding

[B-ster]

[PONTIAC1953]

On 2/7/2022 at 12:23 PM, pfloro said:

I'm curious to know if the A/C temperature was controlled by cycling the compressor...  I believe that when GM moved everything "up front", the A5 & A6 compressors were not

cycled but ran continuously when A/C was selected.  I think that cooling capacity was controlled by modulating the amount of liquid R12 entering the evaporator.   I know that "CCOT"

(Clutch Cycling Orifice Tube) came later (with the R4 compressor...?).

 

pontiac1953:  I think it's great that you are installing a GM factory A/C system into your Pontiac...!  It's very cool...

 

Paul

temperature was not controlled by cycling the A5 compressor.

[19tom40]

The 54 Lincoln AC compressor was a single cylinder compressor and I believe that it was made by York. Yours is definitely an after market unit, so restoration of the unit or replacement would be a matter of choice.

 

The Vintage Air installation can give you much better air circulation using dash vents and free up trunk space or you can have a trunk mounted evaporator with package shelf air circulation. The modern compressors use less HP to operate and are much more efficient than the 0ne or two cylinder types.

 

I like to preserve originality, including aftermarket accessories, but if you intend to use the car as a driver, I would sell the aftermarket type AC unit and install a more modern aftermarket unit.

[61polara]

On 2/7/2022 at 1:23 PM, pfloro said:

I'm curious to know if the A/C temperature was controlled by cycling the compressor...  I believe that when GM moved everything "up front", the A5 & A6 compressors were not

cycled but ran continuously when A/C was selected.  I think that cooling capacity was controlled by modulating the amount of liquid R12 entering the evaporator.   I know that "CCOT"

(Clutch Cycling Orifice Tube) came later (with the R4 compressor...?).

 

Most of these early systems used a bypass valve that routed a portion of the refrigerant away from the evaporator to control temperature.