History When was the first time you saw air conditioning in a hot rod?

Interesting concept for no A/C on a street rod. But many other products like Mustang ll suspensions, gauges, T-5 transmissions, pointless distributors, late model crate engines, radial tires, disc brakes, etc. are still considered traditional. I seriously doubt there are many if any 100% traditional cars owned by HAMBers.

 

None of mine are 100% traditional. I build them the way I like, just like everyone else.
My original post was a simple question about when was the first example seen of someone installing a/c in a 1948 or older hot rod.

 

I have seen a few hot rods with those fans attached above or near the rear view mirror or on the dash.

No clue when those came about.

 

Zero on my 34 since it is not roadworthy, but no plans for it when it is but my 55 is without it as well. I avg 4000 miles per year on it. I can't say that it is always 100% comfortable but it has a white top and that DOES help. Also back then the car manufacturers knew how to properly ventilate a car. Wing windows, kick panel vents and the windows down is fine most of the time for me.

 

Should ask the Rolling Bones guys.

 

As far as the first hot rod I saw with a/c, hard to recall. I know I started to think it was a good idea in the mid-‘60s.

A friend who did custom a/c in the past said Don Tognotti had him install one in his Facel Vega, in ‘66. I had one in ‘72, in a ‘51 Chevy sedan delivery and a friend did a similar one at the time in a ‘51 Bel Air. I had a in-dash system mocked-up, but never finished, in a ‘40 Olds in the mid-‘70s.

Packard and Cadillac offered a/c prior to WW2. The first old car I saw with a/c was a ‘41 Packard woodie that Bill Harrah restored in 1969. Harrah put a/c in many old cars.

 

I agree 100% with you it’s your car, build it as you want. My convertible has A/C I wouldn’t build one without it. Who wants to drive any distance and be a ball of sweat when you get there. Open windows will beat you to death with all the wind coming in

 

I would like to know where this anti comfort attitude came from,there is not one of us getting any younger and I would like to say I worked up to some comfort in my life. So what I would like to know is those who claim they would not put a/c in their hotrod are also the stubborn ones who still live in a house with no a/c or daily drivers without it too,right now none of my older vehicles do not have a/c but I am planning on a new build and its going to have a under dash a/c system.

 

Gotta ask if the Facel Vega you say Don Tognotti owned is the same one now in Dallas? Can't find if Tognotti's car was a HK500, II or Excellence.
Tognotti and wife died in a 2000 murder/suicide.
Will see the car and current owner in May at Dallas Park Cities car show and am going to ask.

 

I do not know which model Facel Vega he had. I’ll ask my friend when I see him.

 

1950 hanging on the side window with a rope to pull to wet the horse hair. Didn't do much til you hit 30 MPH.

 

I bought a few early '60s cars that were airconditioned from the factory when I was a young man. Most of the time the AC didn't work bit it was there. Most of my cars got souped up. By a purest they would not be considered to be a hot rod but a souped up heap is still a souped up heap. Right?

I really didn't notice it being a big deal for hot rods until the '80s or '90s.

 

That would coincide with about the time a lot of us became adults with spending money. Most, if not all of us, wanted things our parents didn't have, or couldn't afford as the case might have been....

 

I was a senior in high school, 1965 guy pulled up to our local small town restaurant in a 42-7 Ford half ton pickup. Walked over to look at it. Looked inside 2 bucket seats and an air conditioner hung under the rh side of the dash. Owner walked up, said wanna see the engine? Popped the hood and was powered by a Olds. Saw him driving it for years, he has passed but kids still have it in the shed from what I hear.

 

In a hot rod....? Never, non -existent...

 

Nope, never seen A/C in a hot rod. Lots of street rods, though. And, nothing wrong with that,just different.