1953 Dodge F/S Facebook $11,500 Williams IA. Features Factory A/C!

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

For Sale on Facebook, has lengthy description with many pictures. This  is an interesting story.

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/302286735293074/?ref=category_feed&referral_code=undefined&referral_story_type=listing&tracking={"qid"%3A"-6911445770137537871"%2C"mf_story_key"%3A"4804143152955867"%2C"commerce_rank_obj"%3A"{\"target_id\"%3A4804143152955867%2C\"target_type\"%3A0%2C\"primary_position\"%3A0%2C\"ranking_signature\"%3A3669963075265495040%2C\"commerce_channel\"%3A504%2C\"value\"%3A8.517791483069e-5}"}

[TexRiv_63]

That's a rare one. Look at the size of that a/c compressor, with no clutch.

[TerryB]

That’s one “cool” car!  Very interesting history.

[Fossil]

That is one slow turning compressor. Shouldn't take a lot of HP to turn it over. 

Neat car. 

[avgwarhawk]

Neat piece of history under the hood.  Looks like a air compressor pulley.  

[63RedBrier]

Not only the size, but how much does that puppy weigh?  Do you have to add an extra 2-3 pounds of air pressure in the RF tire to compensate?

[58L-Y8]

Seller's Description

1953 Dodge Coronet 4-Door Sedan with a Hemi V8 and factory A/C. Not a Dodge Challenger, but it wouldn't let me put Coronet in. It's not often what is considered a "Plain Jane" car has any special significance in the collector car community, but this '53 Dodge Coronet is just one of three Chrysler built to use as a demonstration model for the company's air conditioning system. Chrysler had been one of the early innovators in air conditioning systems after Walter Chrysler had a system invented and designed for his new Chrysler Building in New York City. Systems in the 1930s were bulky and complex so Chrysler went to his engineering staff to come up with a new way to cool buildings, The Airtemp Corporation was born from that effort and the systems were also developed to be installed in vehicles. Some early vehicle air conditioning systems appeared in the late 1930s but until 1953 the major manufacturers didn't introduce systems that were true options. Ford and GM launched factory A/C systems for Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile and Lincoln and Chrysler put a system in the 1953 Imperial. But Chrysler's system was different from the GM and Ford systems and the company wanted to show the public what they had and why it was better. Which brings us to the 1953 Dodge Coronet that my grandpa managed to find in Arizona with just 16,000 miles on the odometer. Chrysler created three demonstration vehicles that were shown around the country with the air conditioning system installed. This is one of those three and it was actually sold by the company to Winnie Hogg in Coralville, PA on June 12, 1953. Chrysler's Airtemp systems utilized a trunk-mounted evaporator with fresh air inlets located on the rear fender, a much tidier installation than the chunky scoops Ford and Lincoln employed to draw in fresh air. The evaporator both discharged cooled air and recirculated inside air through the rear parcel shelf. Unlike GM and Lincoln, Chrysler did not use ceiling mounted diffusers with clear plastic ducts to distribute the air, but discharged the air right into the parcel shelf. To avoid freezing the rear passengers' necks, cold air was discharged through the center register, while the outboard ones were used for air return (opposite from Lincoln and GM systems). Even though Chrysler had a distinct advantage with their Airtemp systems being well known in the residential and commercial use markets, Chrysler wanted to expand its use of the systems into its regular car lines and these Coronets worked perfectly as potential demonstrators. This one-of-kind car still runs and drives and has had one repaint. All the components are in place as installed at the factory and i think it would probably work if charged up. This car was stored in our museum for many years and it runs good. I replaced all wheel cylinders, master cylinder, and all rubber brake lines to make it safe to drive on the road. The transmission shifts well. To make it drivable for any distance, it would need shocks and tires for sure.

Edited February 7, 2022 by 58L-Y8
Added photos for the record. (see edit history)

[TerryB]

Winnie Hogg was a Chrysler products dealer in the town of Quarryville PA so it makes sense he would have had access to this car when new.

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

Thank You @58L-Y8 for posting the additional pictures and seller’s description. I was being kinda a little bit lazy…..

Edited February 7, 2022 by Jeff Perkins / Mn (see edit history)

[JamesR]

Probably the most interesting stock 4 door Dodge sedan from that year that you'll find. If the AC was workable I'd say it's probably worth the money. For some reason the continental kit doesn't look as horrific in that application as it does in others...maybe it's the camera angle.

[Frank Wilkie]

looks like it was sold..  I'm glad because I was so close in conversing with the owner about it..   I just don't need another car..  My question is , " can a modern version compressor be used instead of the original ?  Then would it work with the rest of the original equipment?  

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

And for the record, the car is said to be in

Williams, Iowa.

 

At the present time, "Sale Pending."

[Dosmo]

On 2/8/2022 at 1:53 AM, JamesR said:

For some reason the continental kit doesn't look as horrific in that application as it does in others...maybe it's the camera angle.

I agree that the connie kit doesn't look too bad on this car, though I'm not sure I'd keep it if it were mine.  The styling on the Dodges & Plymouths of this era was criticized by some for being so short as to look stubby.  I think the connie doesn't look as bad on this car as it does some of the behemoth Cadillacs, Buicks, Lincolns, etc., from this time period.

 

I like these cars a lot, mostly because they aren't all that common.

Edited February 12, 2022 by Dosmo (see edit history)

[TexRiv_63]

On 2/11/2022 at 2:33 PM, Frank Wilkie said:

looks like it was sold..  I'm glad because I was so close in conversing with the owner about it..   I just don't need another car..  My question is , " can a modern version compressor be used instead of the original ?  Then would it work with the rest of the original equipment?  

 

A modern Sanden type compressor can be substituted and will work fine, the major issue would be custom brackets.