Labor Day Putting down your wrenches or time for
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| | | | Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 1 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 1 | I was just wondering whether to put a/c on my 59' GMC and I was wondering if it would take away from the horse power? | | | | | Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 698 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 698 | 6 or 8 cylinders? With the compressor running you will see a difference. More with a smaller engine than with a bigger engine. I personally would do it and have done it for my ’65 and ’53 and it’s on the list for the ’66 – the parts are already ordered.
My Fleet: 19411953195919651966 1953 Willy's Pickup John Vegetarian- old Indian word for bad hunter
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | if you were in my town today, the answer is yes..
I heard someone say that an air conditioner will cost you about
10 hp...not sure if that is true or not......today I would take that loss
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 164 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 164 | Daniel,
Your in GA. It's hot this time of year. Who cars about the HP loss. If I had the means I'd have it in my truck too.
I'm just sayin.
Chris | | | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 946 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 946 | My A/C is gettin filled on Friday. Today is 95 degrees. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 66 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 66 | My 37 just went into the A/C shop for plumbing. Blairsville, GA | | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 101 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 101 | My 54 needs my a/c repaired also. Three weeks of over 90 degrees and still using my wing windows for a/c.
Disciple
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 457 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 457 | My '40 has a cowl vent, crank out windshield, and open windows. Nice and cool......'till ya STOP!....... 
1940 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup "KC"
A day without sunshine is like, well, ..... dark!
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,742 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,742 | The "horsepower loss" story is pretty much of a myth, unless you're running a really small engine. Even with a very heavy heat load and high head pressure, it shouldn't take more than 1 or 2 horsepower to cool an area the size of a truck cab. A 5 HP compressor cools my entire house, all 3,000 square feet of it!
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,983 Master Gabster | | Master Gabster Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,983 | My air was charged yesterday. Looking forward to wearing a navy peacoat down the highway soon.
~Jim
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 482 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 482 | Daniel,
When drag racing, turn off A/C. Put a good coat of wax on your vehicle to cut down on wind resistance. Also, there's 2-50 A/C that doesn't take much away from performance. That's two windows down, 50 miles per hour. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 4,095 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 4,095 | I have it my 54 but only turn it on to make sure the compressor get lubed. we have 95 degree days but with the rear slider and cowl vent i don't need it. it is cooler than my Pt when i open it up. the car seems to hold heat a lot longer.
Ron, The Computer Greek I love therefore I am.1954 3100 Chevy truckIn the Gallery 2017 Buick Encore See more pix1960 MGA Roadster Sold 7/18/2017
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 Riding in the Passing Lane | | Riding in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 | The "horsepower loss" story is pretty much of a myth, unless you're running a really small engine. Even with a very heavy heat load and high head pressure, it shouldn't take more than 1 or 2 horsepower to cool an area the size of a truck cab. A 5 HP compressor cools my entire house, all 3,000 square feet of it!
Jerry HRL probably knows more about this then I do. He has run them on Dynos & such. The newer cars have variable disp. compressers but the old A-6 & comps. from a few years ago pulled a lot of power from an engine. Ive heard as much as 25 HP. I know you can sure feel the difference & that belt better be really tight or it will squeal.
They say money can't buy happiness. It can buy old Chevy trucks though. Same thing. 1972 Chevy c10 Cheyenne SuperIn the Gallery Forum | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | I think he was joking with me
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats | | Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 | the torque draw of the compressor will be dependent on the compressor size, line size, system size, refrigerant used, temperature deltas, etc. the horsepower will be dependent on the torque required by the compressor, the clutch pulley size, the driver pulley size, and the engine RPM.
everything that is driven off the engine, or electrically draws power. however electrical draws are buffered by the battery to some extent.
between 1 and 5 hp is a rough rule of thumb, however as many people indicated - if you want AC, who cares how much hp is drawn.
The problems we face today can not be addressed at the same level of intelligence we were at when we created them - Albert Einstein Or with the same level of $ - Me
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 252 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 252 | I live in the South and vote for AC and I'm ok with it taking a few of my ponies. I'll probably get in more trouble from the electric cutouts on the exhaust than a heavy foot. LOL. | | |
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