(first posted 7/18/2017) I’ve already briefly covered the GM Harrison air conditioning system in the third part of my original Cold Comfort series. This unusually heavily optioned 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air that I found at a recent car show gives me the perfect opportunity to dive into this system in greater detail.
While the 1965 Ford LTD is frequently brought up as the beginning of the end of luxury cars (or at least mid-market cars), this exceptionally loaded 1956 Chevy makes an interesting argument that the seeds of destruction of the Sloanian ladder started at least a decade earlier, containing features like power windows and power seat that even Cadillacs were still being sold without at the time.
But that’s not why we are here: Let’s get back to the star of this piece, the factory air conditioning. In the early 1950s, GM had two divisions that were dallying around in automotive cooling: Frigidaire, who developed the trunk-mounted setup that first appeared in the 1953 Cadillac, and Harrison Radiator Division, at the time better known for making radiators than air conditioners.
Unlike the trunk-mounted Frigidaire units used by Cadillac and Buick, the Harrison system was mounted under the cowl and fully integrated with the heater. This allowed the blending of heated and cooled air, enabling air to be supplied at just about any temperature. It also sported an electromagnetic clutch and a thermostatic switch to facilitate cycling of the compressor, which the Frigidaire system was lacking.
Harrison also developed what would eventually become the industry standard A/C compressor for the next several decades. If you look at early A/C compressors, not surprisingly you see a wide variety of configurations and displacements: Two and four-cylinder, inline and vee configurations. Harrison designed a two-cylinder unit that would prove to be extremely rugged, durable, and flexible. It could be mounted horizontally, vertically, or at any angle in between. It could be run clockwise or counter-clockwise and could be cast out of iron or aluminum. It could even be to compress gasses other than Freon, and was frequently used as an air compressor.
Harrison shopped their system internally to Cadillac, Buick, and Oldsmobile. Despite clearly having a more technically advanced setup, Cadillac, Buick, and Oldsmobile went with the Frigidaire system in 1953. I’m not sure why they chose the Frigidaire over the obviously superior Harrison setup, other than internal GM politics.
Left out of the initial negotiations, but hungry for an air conditioning system of their own, Pontiac approached Harrison about using their system Pontiac’s 1954 models. GM relented, but there was a catch: They had to use a Frigidaire compressor.
Unwanted by GM, Harrison licensed its compressor design to companies like York and Tecumseh. This compressor would go on to be used by a wide variety of companies in their factory A/C setups well into the ’80s, including Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes, Porsche, International, AMC, Jaguar, Volvo, as well as commercial trucks, RVs, and boats. If you’ve ever lifted the hood of a Non-GM vehicle over 30 years old with factory A/C, chances are you’ve seen this compressor.
Chevrolet made the Harrison system (with Frigidaire compressor, natch) available to customers starting in 1955. As you can see from the photo of the 1956 feature unit above, the Frigidaire compressor looks nothing like the Harrison unit that would eventually become the industry standard for decades to come.
So in 1955, Chevrolet marketed what was essentially the Harrison system under the Frigidaire name. Seeing the system they developed sold under the Frigidaire name must have raised some hackles with the Harrison folks, but the Harrison name at the time didn’t have the brand recognition of Frigidaire.
In 1956, Chevrolet added a dealer-installed underdash unit to go with the factory-installed setup. To add insult to injury, Chevrolet applied the Frigidaire name to the factory-installed system, and the Harrison name to the knee-banger hang-on unit, even though both systems used the same Frigidaire compressor.
Fun fact: Prior to 1956, Frigidaire A/C compressors featured a shutoff valve that allowed the compressor to be used to self-evacuate the system (no external vacuum pump required). This was eliminated in 1956, meaning that an external vacuum pump was required to evacuate the system (much like modern systems).
Back to the featured car: It clearly has a modern condenser and fittings, however, the gargantuan compressor and accumulator appear to be original. You can see the large box in the upper left containing the evaporator, heater core, and blend door.
Inside, conditioned air was discharged into the passenger compartment through two panel vents mounted on the outboard sides of the dash. Paltry compared to the modern plethora of front and rear seat vents most cars have today.
While Harrison got slighted early on, they ended up having the last laugh. Harrison would go on to design most of the compressors and air conditioning systems for GM, and eventually get their name recognized as such. The Frigidaire name would be sold off by GM in 1979, no longer the valuable brand that it once was.
I have never seen a Chevrolet this early with a factory air setup. Fascinating.
It is little wonder that everyone used the Frigidaire name to promote automotive air conditioning. Frigidaire was literally a household name from being one of the companies that popularized the home refrigerator. Who wouldn’t want to use the brand name synonymous with mechanical cooling?
You wonder if a car equipped like this was not built for some executive high up in the Chevrolet Division or an owner of one of the really big dealers? Most people who wanted to spend that kind of money would have been shopping Oldsmobiles (if not Buicks), but perhaps this buyer had some kind of Chevrolet connection that could not be ignored.
I was thinking the same. While General Electric was the largest seller of mechanical refrigerators, they were already known for other things. Frigidaire was known for refrigerators (and by extension A/C) only. So broadly known to become a “generic” term like “Hoover” is to UK vacuum cleaner users. it’s likely that Chevy would have wanted to use Frigidaire as a brand even if the whole thing was all Harrison built!
That despite Frigidaire building and selling a full range of (often innovative) appliances since the late 1940s.
Minor correction on “The Frigidaire name and assets would be sold off by GM in 1979, no longer the valuable brand that it once was.” I’m somewhat hazy on the details, but from what I can tell the only thing GM sold off was the rights to the Frigidaire name (to White Consolidated Industries a.k.a. WCI, which was once a sister company to the White truck manufacturer, and was itself bought out by Electrolux in 1987). Just about all the rest of Frigidaire’s assets stayed with GM, most importantly the Dayton, Ohio plant where Frigidaires were built, as well as their automotive air conditioning. I’m not sure what became of the tooling for Frigidaire appliances, but “Frigidaire” appliances from shortly after the GM sale became rebadged White-Westinghouse units (also owned by WCI) with Frigidaire control panels, handles, and knobs on them to make them look like old GM-era Frigidaires from the outside, and were nowhere near as innovative or well-built as GM-era Frigidaire products. Badge-engineering is even more rampant in the appliance business than in the auto industry.
I’m a proud owner of a GM Frigidaire air conditioner, though it’s not part of any car. Rather, it’s one of the window units that GM used to make (as noted on the front nameplate, “FRIGIDAIRE – Product of General Motors USA”; most GM-era Frigidaire appliances I’ve seen have prominent GM badging). Judging by the logo, I think this was made somewhere between 1957 and 1962. The four large squares in the grillework are directional vents that allow airflow to be redirected by pulling the knob in the center, rotating it 90 or 180 degrees in either direction, and letting go of the knob in the new orientation (a spring pulls it back inward). This thing weighs about 4x what a modern window A/C of the same capacity does.
Nice! Does it work? You must live where it’s not needed too much.
There’s got to be an air conditioning museum somewhere. I’d go.
It works! Doesn’t blow as much air as I’d expect for something that size and weight, but it does blow cold and quiet. It’s not in use regularly since moving to a house with central A/C a few years back, I’m actually looking to sell it to someone nearby (Wash. DC area). I’d prefer it to go to a Frigidaire or GM collector than to someone just looking for a cheap working window A/C (which I have a few, being much lighter, they get all the action); I think there were some on the GM Imperial post from a year or two ago. If you’re from around here and interested in buying HMU. Someone on another thread here discussing GM’s appliance business and the inherent coolness of disappearing cooktops and washing machines that never let soap scum settle on your clothes, instead pumping extra water in and draining out the *top*. Then spinning faster than any modern top-load washer to extract more water and lead to short drying times and energy savings. The post-GM 1980s Frigidaire appliances were sad sights, the appliance equivalent of a ’57 Packard. Only the familiar name and a few styling tweaks survived being made into something much visibly cheaper.
Glad to hear it’s going to a good home. I live in New Orleans, so not close by and even if I was….I probably don’t need to be collecting antique air conditioners on top of the other stuff I’ve got.
That said, I definitely appreciate a good old machine. I have an O’keefe & Merrit stove I’ve been fixing up. My clothes washer is an old Whirlpool three-speed direct drive (P.N. has sung their praises around here before), and the newest car I’ve ever had is my ’94 Fleetwood. I think there’s a lot of cross over between people who appreciate old cars and those who also appreciate other old machines.
I remember the change from GM to WCI. I worked at the original Luskins appliance store in Baltimore, MD. True at least the first year or two the WCI appliances looked like classic Fridgidare GM editions but that’s where any similarities ended. For example the Fridgidare washers of GM vintage at the Puls-alator later called Jet something. The agitator instead of turning went up and down with a lot of noise. A hurricane in a washer. Washing quality was first rate if not a bit rough on the clothes of the era. GM kept the patents for these innovative features. So WCI Frigidare appliances adopted the technology, mechanicals of WCI. Back then WCI appliances were low end dreck that usually were poorly rated in Consumer Reports. A lot of people with social service grants got these. They were better than nothing. That’s about it. Sad that GM sold off Frigidaire. They should have kept the brand and quality. The washer was called Jet Action under GM Frigidaire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_BPKDvEnAE.
Frigidaire Jet Action washer. GM used this ahead of its time technology. When they sold out to White Consolidated they (GM) kept the patent/rights. WCI Frigidaire washers were IMHO old school primitive Westingjouse top loaders.
BUT WAIT THERE’s MORE!
Before my time but, even as far back as nifty 1950 GM made cutting edge quality appliancesv! And the washer I believed even then had the up and down agitation wash system! Such kitschy names as “Radiantube.”
https://inspectapedia.com/Design/Frigidaire-Appliances-1950.PDF
I have quite a few old GM Frigidaire appliances, including a washer that’s a year older but very similar to the one in the ad you posted!
That washer and dryer are HAWT! Only the tailfins are missing, and only just barely.
Your air conditioner is a 1964-65 model. 1964 was the year they introduced that style. They are easier to install than the older ones. I have a few old GM Frigidaire air conditioners that I still use to cool my house in the summer. I have one that’s similar to yours from 1967. They came with various BTU ratings in the same case. Mine is the largest that they made in that case. 7,800 BTU. It was about half the price of the fancier model with the same BTU rating but much easier to install than the one pictured!
https://flic.kr/p/fZVERn
That’s funny about the “generic” term “Hoover” for a vacuum and “Frigidaire” for a refrigerator. Both of the my Grandmother’s called their vacuum cleaners their “Hoover” even though one owned a Kirby and the other a Kenmore! And for their refrigerators, one had a Kenmore and the other had a Coldspot. I always thought it was funny that they used those “generic” terms instead of calling them by their correct manufacturers name. That shows just how powerful the “Madison Avenue advertising” machine was in the history of our country! (For the record my Mother still calls her vacuum a “Hoover” – and she has owned Kenmore vacuums for years.
It could have been ordered by a dealership in order to act as a sort of halo car to show customers that they did not have to buy a Cadillac or Buick to get all these options. Also it would serve as a chance to touch and play with options before ordering them. For a lot of folks a grainy drawing in a options book is not good enough.
It could have been for a customer who had a lot of money and wanted to get all these options in a Chevy because he/she both was a Chevy loyalist and also viewed a Buick/Olds or Caddy as pretentious
Of course it could have been somebody in the Chevy factory that wanted to see how many options could be crammed into the car.
While it is unlikely that this car was delivered with all of these accessories it certainly is possible. While it would be more likely that the dealer would through the accessory book at the convertible sitting in the showroom or at least a 2dr that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t do it on a 4dr to increase the profit. Particularly if it was one of the initial batch of the new model and they wanted to be able to soak the guy who had to have the new Chevrolet as soon as he could rather than sitting down and making an order which was the norm.
Heck the dealer probably knew his customers well enough to tailor that initial batch of cars just for the customers who he knew were likely to buy this year and that were off the lot buyers. It also could have been the car the dealer ordered for his own, OK wife’s, use after it did a stint on the showroom floor.
It really is no different than what is going on today though the base is today’s full size sedan a 1/2 ton crew cab. Walk into just about any dealer and you’ll find at least a few where the dealer has added lift kits, different bumpers, bigger tires and wheels, ect.
And of course it certainly didn’t come with metric tire sizes from the factory and with the way it is presented I’m with those that believe this owner is the one that through the accessory book at the car.
Almost anything is theoretically possible. But your lengthy assumption does not convince me the slightest. Keep in mind that the ’56 was merely a warmed-over ’55, and didn’t sell as well. Your scenario is profoundly unlikely. Having spent my childhood at every possible new-model year unveiling at dealers, I never saw any car in the showroom (or lot) decked out like this Christmas tree. It would have been hard to sell.
The example of decked-out trucks today is a much more recent phenomena, and exists purely because a number truck owners chose to do this with aftermarket doo-dads, and the dealer wants to see the money spent with him, as well as offer financing on the whole thing. But this didn’t go on back then.
He’s obviously fibbing about many of these “options” anyway, and it appears he’s in a perceived contest to have the most-optioned ’56 Chevy, no matter what it takes.
I didn’t in any way say that it was in any way likely that it left the showroom with all of the accessories just that it was entirely possible and some of the possible scenarios that could have led to that.
I agree that it appears he’s in a perceived contest to prove that he has the most special 56 Chevy ever to whoever will listen and as such has added many of the items himself.
I’m certain that the sign, and car has impressed quite a few people who’s knowledge of cars is pretty much limited to where to put the gas, which pedal makes it go and which pedal makes it stop.
I do have to at least give the guy credit for not painting it red and apparently stuck with the factory color or at least as close as practical with modern paints.
Yeah I too think Chevy dealer showroom car. And the reported 205 hp?, yeah, about that. 205 hp gross, subtract the power steering, power brakes, a/c, the extra weight, etc…considerably lower I’m guessing. Although the dual exhaust and 4 barrel help.
BTW- now that it’s been brought up, does anyone else know where the gas goes on the 56 Chevrolet?
I do- HAHA!!
Behind the taillight! I only know this because it was my Dad’s first car… only a 210, though… not this fancy Bel Air (same body style, though ;o)
One thing is certain: these “41 factory options” are not true “factory options” (which implies they were installed at the factory on the line). Many of these were dealer installed, and I can absolutely assure you that the 205/75 15 tires weren’t “factory”.
The fact that the owner chose to include them on his list makes me quite suspicious that in reality this owner was determined to outdo every other old car owner who adds every dealer-installed doo-dad on their old car.
And some of these “factory options” were standard on the Bel Air, certainly the arm rests. Some of the others may be too; I don’t have time to look it up right now. This owner is stretching the truth.
Who knows how this car really came off the assembly lines?
True, many of these bits were dealer installed. However, all the big ticket items (A/C, Power Windows, Power Seat) are factory items.
I doubt that anyone spending the modern equivalent of thousands of dollars on those big ticket items had any qualms about dropping a few extra dollars on dealer installed exhaust tips and grille guards, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this car was delivered with many of the advertised accessories.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t. Pure speculation.
But since I was alive when these cars were still fairly recent, I’m going to make a an educated guess. And I never saw one back than with all of these doo-dads, certainly not on a 4 door sedan.
Keep in mind that the kind of person who bought a ’56 Bel Air sedan with some power accessories and a/c was not likely a show-off. The sedan is the wrong body style for that.
In fact, it was most likely the opposite: a well-off person who wanted comfort and convenience options, but on a car that specifically did not brag about his means. That was not all-that uncommon then, and into the 80s or so. A person who had no desire to show off. That’s my guess about who was the original owner.
If it had been a convertible, I might feel differently.
“In fact, it was most likely the opposite: a well-off person who wanted comfort and convenience options, but on a car that specifically did not brag about his means. That was not all-that uncommon then, and into the 80s or so.”
This is definitely still a thing, as demonstrated by the demographics of the GMC Yukon buyers vs Cadillac Escalade buyers.
My take is this was probably ordered for a Chevy executive or dealer owner as his company car. Someone who had to drive a Chevy, but lodaded it up with everything available is it was free.
Back in the early sixties the owner of an American Motors dealership lived down the street from a relative. He and his wife always had Ambassadors with A/C and every available option.
I doubt it was delivered like this. When I restored my ’66 sunroof Bug, I added pushout rear windows and a Blaupunkt AM/FM pushbutton radio. Were those available in 1966 at the dealer? Certainly, but they didn’t come with _my_ Bug.
http://www.1966vwbeetle.com/1966%20VW%20Beetle%20Price%20List.htm
Indeed, Paul.
Here’s my more cynical answer, which I was composing when you posted yours:
Current owner most likely obtained a Chevrolet accessory book and and just got everything that wasn’t already installed, then had the restoration shop add it on.
Usually though, when someone’s going that route, they add the accessory fender birds to match the “deluxe bumper” overriders that IMO obliterate the beauty of both the bumper and the grill.
I’m betting the powertrain, A/C, power steering/brakes/seats/windows, electric wipers, backup lights and clock are original to the car, the rest was added during restoration.
The “push-button radio” looks for all the world like an aftermarket stereo. Top level original unit would’ve been a Wonderbar.
Also missing: the accessory tissue dispenser. Usually mandatory when a restorer “options-up” a Tri-Five.
“Options” I believe were standard on a BelAir:
Armrests (notice how they’re built into the door panels)
Full wheel covers
Rearview mirror
Right-hand sun visor
Also, single key entry is just how GM – or at least Chevrolet – rolled in those days.
I don’t remember any option for oversize tires, either. IIRC the stock tire size was 6.70×15, Chevy switched to 14″ wheels the following year to help give the ’57 a lower, longer look. Maybe the current owner switched to radials? Having made that change on a couple vintage Chevies myself. the difference is jawdropping. Plus the gas savings – as much as 2 mpg from personal experience – pays for the tires.
Plus, dollars to donuts the interior colors were a regular feature and not a “custom color” as described above. Chevy offered…I wanna say…close to 20 colors back then, the combinations seemed endless.
I’m sorry if I’m coming off a little snarky but this info is just a few clicks away for anyone who wants to research; close to five million Tri-Five passenger cars were built, and interest, as all of you know, remains high. I know the options were all ala carte back then, which is why I’m not judging whether backup lights or a clock were standard equipment, especially if the car perchance came from Canada.
All this said, it looks like a top-notch job.
Still, I’d take a One-Fifty or Two-Ten Handyman wagon instead. And then LS it with a Vintage Air unit that takes up 1/8 of the room and less than half the weight. Then I’d enjoy it every. single. day.
You guys have me thinking. A quick look at the 56 Chevy brochure indicates that “custom colored” interiors were optional on some models – those seem to have been the shades color-keyed to exterior paint colors. Interestingly, the ivory vinyl/charcoal cloth in the Bel Air sedan in the brochure is not identified as one of the “custom colored” interiors.
I guess I am just too used to looking at oddball cars that are not valuable resto candidates like Tri5 Chevys are. Nobody restores a 55 sedan from almost anyone else to this kind of level and I am used to safely assuming that if one has a lot of options it is probably original.
GM Heritage lists 6.70×15 4 ply tires as standard with 6 ply optional as well as 7.10×15 4 ply optional.
At a local car show some years back, I saw a ’55 Bel-Air sedan with factory A/C, the only one I have ever seen. (Darned if I can find the photos I know I took!) I saw enough Cadillacs with Frigidaire A/C installations to make an impression (hard to miss those scoops!), but it wasn’t till the 1960s that A/C became common here in Arizona.
Bought a used 1956 Chevrolet Nomad in 1963. It was a beautiful turquoise and white with power windows, power seat and factory air. Sure wish I had held on to it but I was young and stupid.
Growing up my parents purchased a ’56 with factory air that was used…one year old from Red River Chevrolet in Shreveport, LA. 4 door hardtop. I remember the two discharge ports would get so cold they would frost up. They keep it until around ’67 when they bought a ’65 Implala. Think they sold it for around $650 with 70-80 k miles on it.
The name “Frigidaire” was more than just an automotive name. The division also produced refrigerators and freezers for home and commercial units. My Grandmother used to refer to her refrigerator as the “Frigidaire” – even though the unit was built by General Electric! At one time she had owned a Frigidaire refrigerator that she gave to my Aunt when Grandmother got her new General Electric refrigerator. I had never seen an automobile with air conditioning until 1962 when my Aunt bought a new Chevrolet Bel Air sedan with factory air conditioning. The first AC equipped auto my parents owned was a 1966 Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon. It is interesting how the automobile AC went from a luxury item to standard equipment.
Tom, you surely heard me palm slap my forehead when I read where these compressors were also used as air compressors. In my many years I have been around them in both roles but never put them together. Thanks for enlightening me!
Here’s another picture of the door panels. Weird seeing power windows on a Chevy this old!
Power windows were available on the 1954 Chevrolet but for the front windows only. I’ve seen a few examples at car shows in CA, usually Bel Air convertibles. Power seats also were an option that year.
http://54classicchevy.com/1954-chevrolet-brochure
Weren’t those the power windows that lacked a safety stop? Supposedly they could decapitate a child or cut off a finger. I seem to remember my mother asking my father to make sure the car he was ordering did NOT have power windows as she feared we kids would be injured by them. This was of course in the early 1960’s.
Many early power window implementations used hydraulic, rather then electric lifts.
Most electric windows I’ve see are pretty weak – you can usually stop (or at least slow) the glass by pushing the other way.
I’ve never experienced hydraulic window lifts, but I’m guessing that they have a lot more lifting (and cutting) power.
A best friend of mine owned 1994 and 1997 Mercury Cougars that had extremely fast power windows. All were very aware to use extreme caution when rolling them up. No idea if they were hydraulic, but they were strong enough to split an apple in half (yes, we tried it) without hesitation!
Those were electric.
While I’m sure there were a few holdouts, most US automakers seemed to switch from hydraulic to electric windows around the time of the adoption of 12-volt electrical systems. I seem to recall reading somewhere that 12 volts made it practical to use the small, high-torque motors, and there were advantages to using electrics in terms of less cost, weight and complexity.
My ex-wife had a 1994 T-Bird that we used to joke had “The Optional Marie Antoinette Power Windows”. They were VERY FAST, but I don’t seem to recall my ’97 ‘Bird’s windows being that fast. Maybe Ford got complaints and toned it down a bit.
I briefly owned a 2012 Ford Escape and one of the aggravating things about it was how agonizingly slow the windows operated. Personally, I’d rather have fast power windows over slow ones any day.
And in most cars of the time (certainly from GM, at least) the windows were wired independently of the ignition so that you would raise and lower windows with the key off. My 63 Cadillac was still this way.
My Dad briefly worked as a mechanic at his friend’s Nash dealership in the early 50’s. He used to recondition used cars that came in as trades and would come home cursing hydro-electric windows because of all the fluid leaks caused by the inevitable cracks in hoses running through doors constantly being slammed. The leaking fluid would stain paint and upholstery requiring more repairs. IIRC hydro-electric windows were gone by 55-56 or so.
I remember running the battery down in my cousin’s 56 Dodge Custom Royal by raising and lowering the power windows without the key in the ignition. Same with my aunt’s power antenna in a 55 Oldsmobile.
In that case maybe they should’ve offered power windows only with manual transmission so that the car could be push started if the kids ran down the battery!
I believe you could push start these old cast iron powerglides, but you needed a steep hill or another car to get it going fast enough (20-25 MPH).
As for this car, original or not, it’s perfect for me except for the sunvisor, traffic light viewer, grill guard, rain shields and rear doors.
Very interesting story about those Harrison compressors. Certainly, my 1977 Ford Fairlane has a York branded compressor that looks exactly like the Harrison featured here. I didn’t know it was virtually an industry standard.
I must admit I’ve never really been a big fan of the 1955-57 Chevies, but this one is gorgeous! I really like that red/white paint job. It’s fascinating how well-optioned this car is, a Caprice a decade before the Caprice came out!
There’s so much material here about these options this should be another separate article. Says it has oversized tires – how much larger were these than the standard tires? And what is a traffic light viewer? Would love to have seen more pics of the interior too – those power window switches are a work of art, bet they are real chrome too.
The traffic light viewer was a little sort of half round, hooded prism doo-dad that was mounted on top of the dashboard, it enabled the driver to see overhead traffic lights that were obscured by the windshield header, or maybe even more so in cars of the early 50’s that had those sun visors mounted on the exterior of the windshield. For some reason, I remember as a kid seeing them mostly on Pontiacs, I always wondered back then what that little gizmo was for.
Always wondered. Thanks.
I worked on these before they were classics. The Frigidaire compressor of this vintage would have had 5 cylinders. The 6 cylinder version that replaced it in the early 60s was completely different other than the general round shape. I never knew that the original Harrison design included the original vertical twin compressor that would come to be later known as the York. Working at a Ford agency, I always associated that compressor with Ford systems and just assumed Ford had developed it. I don’t recall any Chryslers using that design York compressor though. I recall them as using an Airtemp V2 compressor with a brush clutch. Sometime around the end of the 50s into the early 60s, that brush clutch was replaced by an electromagnetic unit. Until the use of electromagnetic clutches, regular brush replacement was a normal maintenance items on both the York and Airtemp compressors. I don’t recall ever seeing a Frigidaire compressor with a brush clutch, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Our family inherited a 1951 Pontiac with a sun visor and a traffic light viewer. I believe the two pieces came as a package.
Chrysler owned Airtemp, and they made a very efficient (but heavy) V-2 compressor that was used on most their cars and trucks up to 1979 or so. My ’67 GMC has factory A/C, with the large Fridgidaire A6 compressor.
That V-twin compressor had the ability to set up a nasty rhythmic vibration at idle. The one in my 77 New Yorker did this. Perhaps it was the idle rpm on my car, but the car would do a little “shudder” every 3-5 seconds while sitting at a traffic light in drive. It’s funny but I don’t remember that same unit doing this in my 68 Newport.
Sorry but I don’t believe this car was factory equipped with this stuff. But someone certainly went to a lot of trouble to identify and chase down these options at swap meets etc. and install them during restoration.
What’s single key entry? Didn’t GMs come with an octagon shaped key for the door and a round one for the trunk? Did that mean one key for the door and trunk?
Also, what’s a vibrator horn?
Well, I remember our 1963 Chevy II (Nova) had a octagon key that was used for trunk, doors and ignition – single key usage.
Maybe other GM models might have used a separate one for the doors/trunk vs. ignition.
When GM went to the interlock ignition on the steering column in 1969, they used a rectangular one for the ignition, and an oval one for the doors/trunk.
Lol! I skipped the whole article as soon as I saw “Vibrator Horn” one the options list to see if anyone answered. Unfortunately it’s not at all what I thought it would be. Turns out it’s just an extra third note instead of the standard two note horn. I found a Youtube recording of it but it’s nothing special. Maybe a little more noticeable than the standard horn but not much.
I’d have been more impressed if the owner would have simply kept the car original (factory A/C and power windows) and not thrown every reproduction dealer accessory doo-dad he could find at it during the restoration process. All that stuff makes it look way too much like the car was run through the JC Whitney catalog.
More than likely the Danchuk catalog. Surprised the fuzzy dice aren’t on the “option list”
A couple of corrections as to the operation and terminology of Automotive AC. The cylindrical object you see along side the condenser is not a receiver. That is on the liquid line, which is the one that runs from the condenser to the expansion valve. Terminology does vary by brand but the common terms are filter-drier or accumulator. This one does appear to be the original style as this style of set up is not as effective at delivering a continous flow of purely liquid. The later designs have the inlet and outlet at the top with a dip tube on the outlet to get the liquid from the bottom of the container. This one is most certainly a reproduction unit as there is no way that the desiccant has not become saturated and the bag holding it disintegrated.
A Receiver also commonly called a receiver-drier is located on the suction side of the system between the evaporator and compressor. It is used on clutch cycling systems that flood the evaporator with a fixed oriface and not a valve that matches the flow rate to the demand. So in those systems some liquid can make it out of the evaporator. A reciever also has its inlet and outlet at the top and a dip tube. However in this case it is the inlet that has the dip tube to deposit any liquid at the bottom of the container. The outlet is at the top and is usually baffled in some way to ensure that only vapor is delivered to the compressor. If liquid makes it to the compressor at the best it will cause what is known as slugging and a bit of extra noise. Excessive amounts of liquid can cause compressor damage.
The thermostatic switch does not make the clutch cycle as in modern cars. Its purpose is to prevent evaporator freeze up and shut off the system so it can defrost before it fully ices up. It is more or less there as a back up in the event that the expansion valve has failed to properly match the flow with the demand or when demand is just so low that they can’t cut flow any further w/o essentially dead heading the high side and putting excessive stress on the compressor.
Clutch cycling systems use a fixed orifice that feeds a constant rate of flow to the evaporator and a clutch cycling pressure switch to regulate the system. Once the evap becomes flooded, a condition with excess liquid, the clutch cycling switch senses the drop in pressure (20~25psi) it disengages the clutch until the pressure rises to 40~45psi when it re-engages the clutch and the cycle repeats. In really high demand and some other situations the clutch may not cycle at all.
Otherwise keep up the good work as I am learning a thing or two since I’ve never worked on stock systems on cars earlier than the mid 60’s.
On 56 chevy factory AC ONLY.Thermostatic switch DOES cycle compressor clutch. Only year that did.55 and 57 had a relay. I have a 56 w factory ac
My Grandmother used to call the refrigerator the Frigidaire. So yes brand recognition was a no brainer. BTW My grandfather moved the compressor and condenser of their 1928 Frigidaire to the basement . That setup served them well through the early 1970’S.
Funny, nobody mentioned the padded Instrument Panel, I guess we are all too accustomed to them now. I could not find a detailed photo, but I’m fairly certain that they were steel.
Reminds me of a story I read in Special Interest Autos regarding the Tri-Fives. Seems Carl Renner (?), who was one of the stylists of the Tri-Fives was judging an auto show, and he was aghast that people would restore their 55’s with the chrome edging around the fuel inlet. His statement was that the designers had worded diligently so that it would blend into the body and not be an eyesore, but in restoration and shows, the people were bringing attention what the designers had attempted to hide.
For years…..heck, decades…..I always called the rectangular, “brick” compressor, used on Fords and aftermarket A/C systems, a “York unit”.
I had NO idea it was developed by Harrison!!
Same here. Though I’ve only ever seen them branded as York too.
If my memory is correct, I think I’ve actually seen this car. I remember that traffic light viewer on the dash and I also recall a Continental Tire Kit. The owner stated the car was restored and admitted many Chevrolet catalog accessory options were added during restoration.
As for all those options, whether originally equipped or not, the owner stated he wanted the best of both worlds: a drivable vintage 1950s car with the comforts/safety items more modern cars offers. But he wanted the options to be Chevrolet authentic and faithful to that vintage era.
But seeing a car with all these options, it raises a question about the definition of “restoration”. When you add manufacturer-listed options for aesthetic or functional reasons that were not originally ordered on the car at the time of build, or at the extreme update/upgrade components, for example, a pre-1955 Chevrolet to a 12-volt electrical system, replace the generator with an alternator, upgrade the brakes or even replace the old stovebolt 6 with a modern 1960s-vintage 250 inline 6 with Turbo Hydramatic transmission……for safety, reliability or performance reasons….can you still call it a “restoration”?
I’d like to see more restorations that are true to stock and faithful to originally built.
I know I’m jumping in six years later, but restoration versus rebuilding is a distinction that is important in the pipe organ world. At the far end of restoration, it involves restoring actions using only period-correct materials, techniques and mechanical designs. Pipe voicing remains consistent with the original design. Additions planned at the time the instrument was originally built may be acceptable. An electric blower may be used, but original human-powered bellows remain attached and usable. At their best, restored instruments are windows back in time to the sounds that influenced performers and composers. There can be a lot of pedantic posturing in this camp.
In rebuilding, just about anything goes. Pipes that are reused are often revoiced, at times extensively. New windchests of different designs may be used. Actions may be changed from completely mechanical to computer-controlled electrical. Old consoles may be replaced with state-of-the-art computers in the shape of consoles that control the pipes. Given enough money, there can be a whole lot of wretched excess instead of good taste in this camp.
I think oil-bath air cleaner and 6 leaf spring suspension were standard.
As was the right hand sun visor. It would only be missing on the base One-Fifty model, which were pretty base. A bunch of those things are probably on some list in a brochure or something of all the goodies you get with your Bel Air.
Chevy was so embarassed by the One-Fifty it isn’t shown an all the color drawings of all the other models but only shows up in little line drawing on the full range page.
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1956_Chevrolet/1956_Chevrolet_Brochure/dirindex.html
Minor correction: Techmseh should be Tecumseh. Dad was in commercial refrigeration, and I used to spell-check his quotes before he typed them up – I saw this word a lot. I’ve still got a Powered by Tecumseh sticker somewhere.
This is very interesting, especially because back in May of 1970, when I was looking for a car, one day I took the bus to Sacramento to go car shopping.
Fulton Avenue was the “auto mall” of the time, lined with car dealers of all sorts, from the OEMs to small independents.
I came across a black 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible that was loaded, including factory air! I was interested, as the ’57 Chevy is still my dream car. The car looked good, but I was leery of buying from a small lot, and the $350.00 asking price I thought was too much (this WAS 1970, and so many of these were practically a dime a dozen, so to speak).
I passed on the ’57 and sometimes regretted my decision, but a month later, after advertising what I was looking for on base, I found what has amounted to my dream car – the 1964 Chevy Impala SS convertible (no A/C, but factory optioned padded dash) I loved and drove for the next 3 years & 3 weeks.
Selling that car I have regretted off and on ever since.
I love these auto A/C articles. Keep ’em coming!
Interesting car. And beautiful restoration. The debate as to whether or not it is truly a factory ordered loaded BelAir is always going to be speculation. To me it seems odd to order up a BelAir in such a fashion. How often when growing up did I see a loaded 1977 Impala? Not very often, if at all! Once someone started to add options they usually went for the more luxurious Caprice Classic.
I had a great uncle that special ordered a loaded to the max 1980 Oldsmobile 98 sedan – except he went for the LS model and not the Regency. When I confronted him about that he said he preferred to spend his money on options and not pillowy seats. I had another great uncle that special ordered a 1978 Olds Delta 88 Royale sedan with only A/C, an AM radio, rear defroster and a 350 V-8. It was totally stripped. He said he preferred a nicer interior but didn’t need all those electric gizmos – more things to break!
Bel Air was the top of the line trim level in ’56.
“To me it seems odd to order up a BelAir in such a fashion…”
Yes, Bel Air was top dog until ’58 and wasn’t the base/fleet model until 1973. So this car is a virtual “1956 Caprice Classic Brougham”
Thanks to everyone who pointed out a correction – I’ve updated the article. With everyone’s help, I’m trying to make Cold Comfort the most comprehensive set of posts on the history of automotive A/C on the web.
You mean it’s not already? 🙂
Did the owner forget to mention the fuzzy dice or did those come as standard equipment in those days ? ?
No fuzzy dice!
It’s so pleasing to see a fifties classic restored properly, as it was intended by its original designers, without the stupid skirts, continental kits and other egregious embellishments so often seen on socalled restorations nowadays. A+ restoration performed on that ’56 Bel Air.
This list of options has to make me laugh at what a stark-naked stripper the base Chevy must have been without half of them. No passenger sunvisor, no ashtrays, no armrests? Must have made the price wars between Ford and Chevy a bit less painful at the bottom line.
With this list, I’m surprised to see no tissue dispenser. 😮
I see it does not have the “Autronic Eye” headlight dimmer. Could one have both it and the traffic light viewer?
Was Autronic Eye available below the Oldsmobile level? Anyway, the accessory brochure:
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1956_Chevrolet/1956_Chevrolet_Accessories/dirindex.html
[img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https://img0.etsystatic.com/013/0/6531770/il_570xN.464369928_sn2l.jpg&f=1&nofb=1[/img]
Frigidaire GM technology. When they sold out to WCI they kept the rights to their high quality innovative stuff. WCI stuff was dreck and not rated well in Consumer Reports
I currently own a ’56 Bel Air sport sedan. At one time this car had factory ac and power steering. It still retains the power brakes and clock. My brother purchased this car in 1974. The car was a hotrod at the time , the ac was already removed and hokey patch panels installed. I remember my brother removing the ps because it leaked like a sprinkler, and eventually replacing the engine also.
Habbout that! I didn’t realise Harrison designed that 2-cylinder brick-shaped compressor, churned out in giant volume by York (in aluminum) and Tecumseh (in cast iron) that was used in so many factory, POE, and aftermarket systems across so many makes until it was toppled off the hill by the Sankyo/Sanden compressor—smaller, lighter, much less NVH—starting in the late ’70s.
You mention Chrysler as a user of the brick compressor. To my knowledge they used these—Tecumseh HG-1000s—only on the presumably few 1961 six-cylinder cars with factory or dealer A/C. All other years and the ’61 V8s got the Chrysler V2 compressor. Are you aware of other Chrysler applications of the brick?
That “66” model parked next to the subject car looks good.
This car just wouldn’t have made any sense in 1956. If you wanted options like this, you bought a Buick. Three years after the sale, one was a Chevy, one was a Buick. Who wins in resale?
The black “cylinder” on the left side of the condenser is the receiver.