Factory AC in a 66 H?

[Fastback66]

A friend claims to have a 1966 GT350H with factory AC...I haven't seen the car in person yet.  I wasn't aware of any 66 GT350's other than the convertibles that came with AC...were there any exceptions?

[PrettyMuchAShelbyGuy]

The term factory may be loosely used here. If it's a hang on "FoMoCo" unit, likely dealer installed after delivery.  I don't believe factory air was ever offered as an integrated system until 1967. Looking for the super experts to correct me or chime in

[J_Speegle]

There are always claims always stories.

Have seen a small handful where the owner added AC as well as many other period or "factory" (Mustang) options

What's the car number?  Pretty easy to check and confirm with that information.

But think we can all predict the outcome but the car number would provide documentation. Same process any buyer would/should do if he put it up for sale

[Bob Gaines]

There are always claims always stories.

Have seen a small handful where the owner added AC as well as many other period or "factory" (Mustang) options

What's the car number?  Pretty easy to check and confirm with that information.

But think we can all predict the outcome but the car number would provide documentation. Same process any buyer would/should do if he put it up for sale

+1

[Harris Speedster]

A 1965 Shelby I once owned, did get documented as having AC installed by Shelby.
Also had 4 other documented oddities.
Paperwork within SAAC was found to document.

Another lady owned 65 I had from an eastern state had a dealer installed ac system. Two different worlds of documentation.
Sold it to Curt, then Curt sold to Big Jim Cowles as I recall.
Does it count when dealer installation is done, or should the systems/additions >> and other things ford offered, be removed from a car?
Respectfully,
John,

[Bob Gaines]

A 1965 Shelby I once owned, did get documented as having AC installed by Shelby.
Also had 4 other documented oddities.
Paperwork within SAAC was found to document.

Another lady owned 65 I had from an eastern state had a dealer installed ac system. Two different worlds of documentation.
Sold it to Curt, then Curt sold to Big Jim Cowles as I recall.
Does it count when dealer installation is done, or should the systems/additions >> and other things ford offered, be removed from a car?
Respectfully,
John,

If the install is done prior to the dealer delivering to the first owner it is considered legitimate (as delivered) as far as concours judging goes . If it was installed AFTER it was delivered to the first owner then it is not considered as delivered. That is the typical line in the sand at least for the Mustang/Shelby venues. One day, one week ,one year or one decade may still be interesting to the cars history but too late to be considered as delivered. 

[J_Speegle]

A 1965 Shelby I once owned, did get documented as having AC installed by Shelby.
Also had 4 other documented oddities.
Paperwork within SAAC was found to document........................
Does it count when dealer installation is done, or should the systems/additions >> and other things ford offered, be removed from a car?

In the example of the 65 with documentation was the car converted after the car was purchased by the first owner or possibly another owner?  Paperwork might spell out who the conversion was being done for.

Like most things its all in the details (when, where and for whom)  and and how the current owner feels about all of that. In this case do you want to own as show (judged or unjudged show) an odd ball and have dozens of people point out that "look someone added AC to ....." or something like that or something with a little more bite.

Does the owner want to preserve the cars complete history and reflect that or return it to how the car was designed to be? This is question many owners have to make since these cars were often modified and altered right out of the dealership.

Have one car that was very likely modified before it was delivered to the first customer so we're in the same boat and we each make the choice for our time with the car and life goes on. One just needs to be confident and comfortable in their choice it is theirs to make and live with. Not always an easy one though

[Harris Speedster]

The lady owned 65 from back east;
not sure, or should I say, I can't remember all details.
It was a present from her husband, it had air, I almost think, 90%,  it was installed at the dealer before being picked up.
Original paint car which had 1 touch up in its life oin back tail light panel.

The other one which did have shelby paperwork, also had a video done of the car. Big Jim Cowles flew out to my place in Ut to verify and to buy.
Respectfully,
John

[gt350hr]

     With the documentation Howard has , the answer should be easy. My guess is no. Hertz wouldn't spend the extra money to do it , plus the harmonic balancer had to be modified to use a Ford crank pulley.

[shelbydoug]

In the day I saw lots of dealer installed "hang-ons" on '65s. I can't remember any '66s but none of them that I remember were HP's.

I'm not sure what an "assembly-line" 65-6 A/C would look like? Everything I ever saw in those years was a hang on.

Was there ever an in-dash unit for them?

[98SVT - was 06GT]

In the day I saw lots of dealer installed "hang-ons" on '65s. I can't remember any '66s but none of them that I remember were HP's.

I'm not sure what an "assembly-line" 65-6 A/C would look like? Everything I ever saw in those years was a hang on.

Was there ever an in-dash unit for them?

The "hang on" unit was all that was available. If you ordered AC with the car the factory installed it. If you wanted AC  later you or the dealer could install it. It was available from parts as a complete kit - for adding on to most models and trucks. For 65/6 there were two consoles one had the storage compartment cut off to clear the AC - the chrome piece they used to cover the cut is hard to find.

[Harris Speedster]

Both air units I refereed to in the 65 Shelby's  were after market. The name ARA comes to mind?
An under dash unit like Ford put in 1964 full size cars is what a 65 mustang would have come with via a factory order.
Seem to recall the chrome face with ford logo changed a bit for 1966 model year mustangs ?

Bit of trivia;
sent a 1955 factory ford installed a/c system to Australia years ago. Ford Select Air as I recall was the name on the round heater/ac control panel.
As far as ford cars go, I think 1965 was the first year for in dash Ford a/c. 99%
Not sure about Lincoln or Mercury though.
crazy I remember all that, but not what I ate for dinner on Thursday, go figure.
John

[J_Speegle]

Both air units I refereed to in the 65 Shelby's  were after market. The name ARA comes to mind?
An under dash unit like Ford put in 1964 full size cars is what a 65 mustang would have come with via a factory order.
Seem to recall the chrome face with ford logo changed a bit for 1966 model year mustangs ?

And available in kit form for dealers installation. Some of the details/parts are different between factory installed parts and dealer (kit) parts

Yes there are a number of differences between factory installed 65 and 66. If dealer installed the dealer could have had either kit on the shelf. At least in later 60's this involved two kits. One for engine compartment parts and one for engine compartment parts - dependent on engine size.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Both air units I refereed to in the 65 Shelby's  were after market. The name ARA comes to mind?
As far as ford cars go, I think 1965 was the first year for in dash Ford a/c.

ARA was a big after market supplier. It would be reasonable for SA to send a car to one of their shops for installation since it was cheaper than Ford.
It would also put any warranty work in ARAs lap rather than having to sort out a who's paying Ford or SA problem.
Tbirds had indash AC since 1958.

[Bigfoot]

Reminds me of the bench seat car..........,...rather bench seat story.....