>>>> >>>> The Goldberg Brothers - The Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner >>>> >>>> Here's a little factoid for automotive buffs or just to dazzle your friends. >>>> >>>> >>>> The four Goldberg brothers, Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and Max, invented and developed the first automobile >>>> air-conditioner. On July 17, 1946, the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees. >>>> >>>> The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that four gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter. >>>> >>>> Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car. >>>> >>>> They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about 130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the car off immediately. >>>> >>>> The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3 million for the patent. >>>> >>>> The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label, 'The Goldberg Air-Conditioner,' on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed. >>>> >>>> Now old man Ford was more than just a little anti-Semitic, and there was no way he was going to put the Goldberg's name on two million Fords. >>>> >>>> They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million and that just their first names would be shown. >>>> >>>> And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show -- Lo, Norm, Hi, and Max -- on the controls.
Gotcha! Or it least you got me, Tim. Same day as I had my annual physical. At least the doctor & I didn't smile at the same time.
Re:AC So funny it could actually have happened. Does anyone know which car was the first to be air conditioned? I do
Factory AC I know that the '49 Nash was the first automobile with the body designed to have AC , they built the cowl with AC plenums in it..... I hope this thread fleshes out so I learn more about AC , I've avoided it most of my career , now I need it being an old man .
Mostly Aches & pains . Dangit ~ it turns out all those cranky old men I used to try and ignore when they'd caution me against doing stupid things , were right after all . I'm pretty much FU-BAR for life now but I'm still having fun ! .
Fed hasn't chimed in with right or wrong, so I'm gonna say that the '39 Packard was the first. Nate, did you know that Nash and Kelvinator were sister companies in the early to mid '50's? That explains the "built-in's" on the Nash, No? As far as "fubar" goes, I've had a saying for years now: "If I knew I'd live to be this old, I'd have taken better care of myself!" BTW, I'm working on a new project! Hanlon, shut up! You're the only one who knows what it is! Details to follow! Ken
Nash - Kelvinator I certainly do know this ! . The first thousand or so Nash Metropolitans were badged " NKI " for Nash Kelvinator International " . I have a NOS ID tag from one I've been thinking of using in my old Metropolitan FHC if I ever get a roudtuit and re paint it.... . I'll stop now before I bore you alls to death with Metropolitan trivia.... I'm pretty sure it was the '39 Packard with AC first too .
