Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum

General Category => Kaiser Forum => Topic started by: lacyf on July 14, 2009, 07:56:37 PM

Title: air-conditioning
Post by: lacyf on July 14, 2009, 07:56:37 PM

I have a 54 manhatten (MISSING SUPER-CHARGER) AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT AIR CONDITIONING,,I LIVE IN pHOENIX AZ.. AND DRIVING  A CAR IN 114 DEGREES IS NOT FUN(YOU LEAVE PERMANATE FINGER PRINTS IN THE STEERING WHEEL) .I HAVE SEEN KAISERS WITH A/C, BUT DONT KNOW WHAT UNITS WORK WITH 6 VOLT 6 CYLINDERS.... ANY SUGGESTIONS ? THANKS

Title: Re: air-conditioning
Post by: 54 Kaiser on July 15, 2009, 04:38:57 AM

I have a '54 Manhattan with A/C. It's "aftermarket" but vintage with "ARA Air Conditioned" decals on the wrap-around part of the rear windshield on both sides. And, the car is still - and will remain - 6 volt.

You'll pretty much have to try and find a unit that has been pulled from a car that is functional and put that on from what I can tell. I've checked the sites that offer AC for classics but they all seem to have dropped 6 volt units.

In my case, the compressor clutch is 6 volt, along with the solenoid that runs the clutch, and the fan motor on the inside unit. It would be easy to find 6 volt replacements for the fan motor and the solenoid, but not for the drive clutch in the belt drive.

The Evaporator inside the car has what appears to be a "Vkeep" chrome logo on top of the unit and the compressor is a York unit mounted directly on the original plate that the supercharger was mounted on. When I got the car two years ago it "ran" but not cold. I bought a duracool kit from Wal-Mart (R12 substitute) and recharged it. Took less than a pound so it had not lost all it's gas. Now it blows VERY cold.

(http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2307/ac1h.jpg)
(http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/8850/ac2v.jpg)

Title: Re: air-conditioning
Post by: ben-tex on July 15, 2009, 08:06:03 AM

Fred Walker (I guess his wife is still doing business) at one time was supplying AC stuff for KF. The clutches came from Spain as I recall...

Title: Re: air-conditioning
Post by: FrazerWill on July 15, 2009, 06:23:17 PM

I noticed 54 Kaiser's a/c looks kinda like a 60's ford head unit so I looked on ebay and found this..

http://www.classicautoair.com/Catalog/MustangCatalog5thEdition.pdf

The 6V part I can't help with but I think you can swap the motor in the head unit or have it rewired for 6V.

I bought a used a/c for my 64 fairlane and was thinking it would fit nicely in my 49 Frazer too.

Title: Re: air-conditioning
Post by: lacyf on July 16, 2009, 05:40:13 PM

Thank you Frazerwill;   You have a sharp eye....if not the same they are close to it.....looks like the head might be inverted...................I'll go find one... frank