July 2026

Bruce is gone.  You're stuck with me...

In other parts of the country, summer is "Model A Driving Season" when the temperatures are warm and the days are long.  We see posts on Facebook of clubs "up north" having drives, picnics, tours, and get-togethers enjoying the summer months. 

But in the south, summer is "Are You Crazy?  It's Too Damn Hot To Take The Model A - Season."  By mid-day, the passengers are hot, the engine is hot, and the family car has this new thing called "Climate Control."  Cold air spews from the dashboard - pretty neat.

It wasn't until 1939 when Packard introduced factory-installed air conditioning as an option in some of its cars.  The unit was a bulky, trunk-mounted unit  and incredibly expensive (costing about $274, or over $6,000 today.)  It required the driver to manually exit the vehicle and adjust the compressor drive belt to turn it on or off.  It wasn't until 1953 when General Motors introduced a system of AC that moved the components under the hood and powered by the engine.  

Always an innovation leader, American Motors put Air Conditioning into their 1968 Ambassador as standard equipment rather than an option.  Did it save AMC?  Not really...but that is another story.

You can put AC into your Model A, but there are significant modifications required.  The systems work on twelve volts, so that conversion is required with an alternator.  The cabin must be completely insulated to keep at least some of the cooler air in the car.  Custom brackets are required to mount the compressor to the engine.  Since we have a gas tank instead of an under-dash area, the evaporator mounting is also a challenge - you cannot drill the tank to mount the unit.  Placement of the condenser is also a challenge.  But it is possible and when done right they can be quite effective without draining engine power to run it.  President Bruce has AC in his Coupe, but yet he still escapes the summer heat in Vermont.  (Actually, he doesn't love us any more.)

Ken Davis Model A has a kit that includes everything you need.  Find it at http://www.kendavismodela.com/airconditioners.html.  The kit even includes instructions for you to read AFTER you install it!

So as is normally the case, the President's Message contains information that you neither asked for nor wanted.  But you read it anyway!

Stay cool

VP Kevin