1959 - Rambler All Season Air Conditioning

Though air conditioning was first offered in 1940, it was still rare and expensive by the end of the 1950's. In this presentation, Rambler was making sure their sales people knew not only what the benefits were for the consumer, but also how the system worked, which would prove valuable in truly understanding how revolutionary it was to finally have it available for a reasonable price.
These presentations were delivered on a filmstrip, which the display person would advance manually every time the accompanying 16 inch transcription disc beeped. There were a small number that had embedded FSK signals to advance a system automatically, but those were short-lived, because they weren't as reliable as the manual way.

[@loveisall5520]

As a child in the sixties, my father had a 1960 Classic station wagon with their a/c as a 'work car'. I loved those louvers on top of the instrument panel, and it would certainly keep that wagon cool in our hot, humid Texas Gulf Coast summers. That was his favorite 'work car' when I was growing up.

[@joealvarez4157]

Thanks for posting this. I love watching these old sales training videos

[@Dac54]

This was a learning experience for me. I didn't know that factory air conditioning was available on a relatively inexpensive vehicle such as the Rambler. My grandparents had a black 1962 Rambler Station Wagon that they purchased new, Old Bessie, as my grandmother called it, without air conditioning. It had an automatic transmission with the buttons for the gear selection on the upper lefthand corner, with a lever under the dashboard to put the vehicle in or out of park position. It had an AM radio, but no power steering, no power brakes. I remember the big steering wheel with the big horn sounder and a metal dashboard. Of course, there weren't any seat belts. The car stayed in the family until 1979, when it was sold to a buddy of my dad's who wanted cheap, reliable transportation for his college-bound daughter. One more thing: the same key unlocked the doors, turned the ignition, and even locked the glove box.

[@loveisall5520]

I have always loved the 1962 ramblers because they were the last version of the mid 50s body. The station wagons were amazing for that time; there really was no specific competitor for those.

[@TaylorZ2]

I had a 62 Rambler American with factory a/c (very rare at that time in an economy model) and it was great A/C, but it did put a huge load on the small engine! The doors had the "AM Air Conditioned" emblem/moniker on them shown at 14:00

[@loveisall5520]

I always loved that little badge next to the rearview mirror that announced that the car was a M air conditioned. And you’re right, I don’t ever remember seeing an American back then that had the factory AC.

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

Dad bought my Mom a new '62 Rambler with A/C. It sure was nice to ride in during the hot southern summers. It had the aluminum inline six which, sadly, was not properly maintained by either Dad or Mom. Thus, the Rambler's life was cut short and Dad ranted about that aluminum engine. The Rambler was replaced by a new Ford Fairlane (with A/C as well) and the cast-iron 351 engine proved to be more tolerant of irregular maintenance. Alas, I was too young to know about car maintenance to help out.

[@loveisall5520]

Yeah, compared to today’s cars, those were much less tolerant of poor maintenance. I can remember my father back, then dedicating Saturday mornings to maintaining the two family cars.

[@jamespn]

Notice the large glass ash trays on every sales desk.

[@danielulz1640]

I had three American Motors cars with factory air conditioning, 65, 68 and 70, and it really was a great system. Just don't leave the temperature control knob on "Desert Only" for too long or you will get snow out of the center vents!

[@falcon664]

I owned a 62 Classic with factory air. It was a great system, very versatile. You could have cold air up top and warm air on your feet. The odd thing was that the vents were in the top center of the instrument panel, not the sides see in this film strip. If you had a radio, the speaker was mounted in the AC duct. You would hear the radio better if you opened the ac vents. Loved that car.

[@blockcl]

Some of the slides are unintentionally funny, especially when the subject is pointing at some unseen car part.

[@davidadkison4702]

My Great Uncle and Aunt had a 1959 Rambler Ambassador with the Airconditiong. It would do the 120 on the speedometer. His 1969 Rambler Rebel would only do 90. He said he wished he had kept the 59

[@donnatanner359]

I regularly drive a 59 Rambler. The A/C still works. with the original Borg
Warner compressor. It only has 493k miles on it. Door seals are not all that swift. R134a works on it. my Dad Added an extra fan to the system. the coils on the evaporator get to 38 degrees f. outside air temp is 100+ here in Texas.

[@d.mcdave8880]

I have a 58 Ambassador with the 327 and air conditioning. 83,000 original miles. Push button automatic, AM radio, P/S and power brakes. Still has the clear plastic seat covers on the back seat, and the front seats recline fully to make a bed with the back seat. Ashtrays in every door and a trunk big enough to put four more people in. It has a Holley 4bbl and it really howls when you open it up, louder than the exhaust! It is a very nice car and it belonged to my wife's grandmother. We still have the sales brochure, key ring, ballpoint pen as well as the service manual. Also, all 4 hubcaps are in excellent condition. It does have a cracked side rear window and is missing both chrome rings for the target sites on the fenders, but otherwise it is all there and rust free Montana car. All white and chrome with orange and black houndstooth interior with black carpet and dash. Very deluxe for it;s time.

[@loveisall5520]

Does it have this superb air conditioning?

[@d.mcdave8880]

@@loveisall5520 Absolutely.

[@customkey]

That's a true "Kenosha Cadillac." And true 20th Century History.

[@johneddy908]

AMC sold Kelvinator to White Consolidated Industries (today part of Swedish-based Electrolux) in 1968.

[@edwoll]

Sounds like he was describing the process that I go through after a hardy mexican dinner.

[@pltanner2981]

I have a 59 rambler it has a v8 327. the ac unit has the original compressor. it's presently charged with 134A. we've over the years added fans.amd spend up the duct work . the poor car has 491k mils on it and gets 25mpg driven easy. West Texas will often bust 100 degrees for 60 days or so. nice to have 60 degree air blowing at you.

[@davenone7312]

It seems not a single picture was taken with permission! Nobody looked posed or happy lol

[@Greatdome99]

Nash's Weather Eye system didn't just cool--it warmed and cooled depending on setting--a first.

[@milfordcivic6755]

I still don't understand why AM called their HVAC systems "Weather Eye".

[@donnatanner359]

here in Texas now days Its hard to give away a car with out A/C.