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GREAT ARTICLE IN February’s issue on that gorgeous 1954 Chrysler Town & Country station wagon with factory air conditioning—it’s a very rare option. During that early ’50s era, Chrysler, GM, and then eventually Ford started off with the system’s evaporator core located behind the rear seat in the trunk, with the chilled air being directed towards passengers either with ducts in the rear deck or via plastic tubes into headliner outlets. I have examined multiple cars from that era with A/C, but they were always sedans—only sedans had trunks to locate the evaporator core. In-dash A/C outlets didn’t start until 1956 or 1957 for most makes. Barry Kluczyk included some great pictures of that Town & Country, but nowhere was there any discussion or images of A/C ducts inside the vehicle. Since that wagon has no trunk, where did Chrysler put the evaporator core and the passenger vents?
−CHRIS SMITH
Conroe, Texas
of the 1954 Chrysler Town & Country station wagon was certainly stunning but the story raised a big question in reference to its air conditioning option. I have read a lot about 1950 Chryslers (I own a 1954 Windsor Deluxe) and their famous AirTemp air conditioning, but everything I have read says that it was available only on sedans because the evaporator/air exchange unit was in the trunk. They also had air openings on the top leading edge of the rear fenders, which the wagon does not have. Where is the evaporator on this car? Why did you not show any interior photos the A/C unit? You did show the compressor, but I would have liked toyou could print retroactively of this extremely rare air conditioning in a station wagon?
