VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Air conditioner

Good afternoon gentleman

Any chance there could be a kit to install ac on our old Chevys, mine is a 31 with original 194 and 6 volt alternator

Hello 1931Chevy,
Wikipedia: "On 7 October 1935, Ralph Peo of Houde Engineering, Buffalo, New York, applied for a patent for an "Air Cooling Unit for Automobiles". U.S. Patent 2,099,227, was granted on 16 November 1937. In 1939, Packard became the first automobile manufacturer to offer an optional air conditioning unit in its 1940 model year cars."
As for that bit of history, older vehicles have been retrofitted with air conditioning systems. I am a supporter of stock original cars as they were produced. My 1931 Chevy Coach does not have a heater, but if I wanted to install one, I'd have no issues doing that because some Chevys had them. With air conditioning, that will be the owners decision. To start with, you should get the advice and knowledge from businesses that supply what you are looking for. Look at 'Vintageair.com' Builder Series and read the selections offered. Make calls to their technical support and view videos if available. With considering such an undertaking, I'd stick with a company to deal with and not with a seller of parts.

Air conditioning compressors require a substantial amount of energy to operate. That will reduce the horsepower needed to propel the car down the road. I am sure that Vintage Air can provide more specific information.

There is a cooling option that might be better given the above. Circulating air through a bed of ice can reduce the interior temperature of the air. A search on the internet might provide a reasonable option. We had a couple on a tour that fitted an ice chest with hoses, fan to blow cooled air toward the occupants. They claimed it helped.

IcyBreeze is a company that makes these coolers for Air-Conditioning, also can look at Frankencooler
you can also make your own, (tons of youtube videos and how tos) problem is the space required to store them and the power to run them. or make your own with battery powered fans or 6v fans

as Chipper noted, the 6 cylinder would have to work harder to run a compressor, plus they run lower rpm typically, also going to require cutting up the floorboard or the firewall to duct it in. Vintage Air makes the complete kit for the 50 Chevrolet 6 cylinders. the condenser/air handler takes up a lot of room under the hood, have to make brackets and such to mount hte compressor to the engine, going to take up real estate, typically above the fuel pump. May be able to squeeze it in on a 1929-32, then the ducts and lines routed. take a look at their site and hte instructions to install. they are helpful and have tons of info.

remember anything can be done with time, money, and knowledge