1963...When did A/C first appear?

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Hi Tom,

The Cadillac Saddle #55 with a/c was featured in the Dec. 1995 issue of Corvette Fever with many great pictures. (I've had a year to dig it up!)

Interestingly, I've seen a SWC for sale on the net over the last several months that claims to be a "test" car for a/c and I think it was an early car. It was not selling fast but looked good in the ads pictures.

After Ken's car I have #13,224, #13,483 and then #13,607 recorded with A/C. I've never inspected these cars but merely recorded them as seen or advertised.

Syd

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Tom,

From Larry Brooks Registry, car #11,095 with A/C.
Did you note or ever see this one?? Said to be a Black/Black auto coupe

Syd

[Tom C.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Syd

Thanks for the info. I have the first two cars, but did not have 607. I'll add it. If you can dig up the "test" car ad I would love to see it, and maybe examine some pics. Re 55, it is alive and well in the Northeast where it has been for many years. I heard from a friend of the owner.

Tom

[Tom C.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

I have the brooks survey, and 11095 is noted with the brooks survey as the source. The car has not appeared since the survey. THANKS

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Hey Tom,

I also have #11,095 noted as coming from the Brooks survey.
I've never come across this particular car but it being Black on Black, it's worthy of a/c .

I recorded #13,607 also as being Black/Black but a convertible.
I'll try to find in my file which car advertised recently as being a test a/c car for you. If I remember correctly, it was Daytona Blue.

Syd

[Joseph T.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

I have the brooks survey, and 11095 is noted with the brooks survey as the source. The car has not appeared since the survey. THANKS

Tom

I remember a 1963 a/c coupe for sale at Bloomington many years ago..as I recall it was an August car..but that is just a memory.

Hope all is well.

Joe

[Max H.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Saw your reply regarding original ac cars

I have a 63 with serial 19659 and its an AC car, white with blue interior.

I may be wrong, but I believe that the generally accepted first DOCUMENTED A/C cars were in the 14,000 VIN range

[Max H.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Dear Ken

Can you tell me if your convertible is a 4 speed or auto? I have few people here if they knew how many convertible AC cars were made and no one knows, as well as how many with auto and how many 4 speed I thought you might have some info as owning one.

Thanks

max

[Kenneth S.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

My car is a 4-speed. I have restored 2 other '63's with A/C, the convertible was a 4-speed and the coupe was an automatic. Tom Christmann has developed a directory of '63 Air cars, maybe he can answer your question.
Ken

[James G.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Maybe someone here might remember Harley Earl's S.O. '63 coupe (Silver Blue). It was sold here in Florida in the late 1980's and went to California. I always thought it was the first to have A/C. Anyone familiar with that car?

I saw the California owner, Dr. Bruce Jacobs last weekend. He has sold all his Corvettes, including this car. He now wishes he kept it. The car was sold at Barrett Jackson Auction in 2005 to a collector in France. Bruce has his contact. Who knows, he might just buy it back

[Jim W.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

I saw the California owner, Dr. Bruce Jacobs last weekend. He has sold all his Corvettes, including this car. He now wishes he kept it. The car was sold at Barrett Jackson Auction in 2005 to a collector in France. Bruce has his contact. Who knows, he might just buy it back

Too bad he sold it. I'd like to find some photos of it online but no luck so far. It was a very interesting car.

[Dick W.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

There will be some photos in the silent auction at the National Convention this year

[Tom C.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

I'm a little late on this thread, but I have been documenting 63 air cars since the early 80's (I also worked with Noland on the 63 air section in his book). I owned the Bunkie Knudsen serial 55 car and spoke with Bunkie personally, the car was a retrofit at the design center. I also have docs from the company that produced the molds for some of the ducts; they received the order to build molds in December and the molds did not physically exist until early January (that coincides with Nolands docs about an December release). Based on my list of about 150 air cars, personal inspection of many (and ownership of 6 including the big tank air car), production clearly began with cars serial number 13,000 and higher. I have no 12,000 cars on the survey, and two 11,000 cars that have not been documented. All cars below 13,000 that I have personally inspected do not have the correct, and unique to 63 only, air parts. Hope this helps.

And a note on how many 63 air convertibles were built. Back in the 80's the number "less than 50 surfaced" but there was no documention for it. What I can tell you now about 30 years later with my list, the proportion of air convertibles works out to be something less than 50. Where ever the number came from back then, it still holds true.

Tom Christmann #1789

[James G.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

I'm a little late on this thread, but I have been documenting 63 air cars since the early 80's (I also worked with Noland on the 63 air section in his book). I owned the Bunkie Knudsen serial 55 car and spoke with Bunkie personally, the car was a retrofit at the design center. I also have docs from the company that produced the molds for some of the ducts; they received the order to build molds in December and the molds did not physically exist until early January (that coincides with Nolands docs about an December release). Based on my list of about 150 air cars, personal inspection of many (and ownership of 6 including the big tank air car), production clearly began with cars serial number 13,000 and higher. I have no 12,000 cars on the survey, and two 11,000 cars that have not been documented. All cars below 13,000 that I have personally inspected do not have the correct, and unique to 63 only, air parts. Hope this helps.

And a note on how many 63 air convertibles were built. Back in the 80's the number "less than 50 surfaced" but there was no documention for it. What I can tell you now about 30 years later with my list, the proportion of air convertibles works out to be something less than 50. Where ever the number came from back then, it still holds true.

Tom Christmann #1789

TOM.......WE NEED TO DO A SPECIAL DISPLAY AT BLOOMINGTON, "ONLY 63 AIR CONDITIONED CARS"....

On the lawn, all weekend with outdoor seminars "TELLING THE STORY". And HD NET do the filming for AMERICAN ICONS.

The next year "ONLY 1965 FUEL INJECTION CARS"
Sound like a challange for you and Dana?

[Tom C.]

Re: 1963...When did A/C first appear?

Jim, that is certainly something worth considering. I'll need to ponder that one.