Does anyone know what is this in the picture?

Question

the black thing hanging in the window in the back passenger of the car

http://a466.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/17/l_cd85b7d530282eb4b5d5b2e2b11e9519.jpg

Answer 1

I know exactly what that is...that is old school air conditioning...folks would pack that cylinder full of ice and when the car moved...whalla...

you got early an a/c system.

Answer 2

Well the car looks like the 36 Chevrolet my dad had when I was a kid in the 40s!  The thing on the window was just what some said it is -- it is an "airconditioner"!  The more of them you had on car, the cooler it got inside!

I was with folks on 2 trips across the "Great Salt Lake" in Utah in 50s with a rented one in each front window!  I think they were rented for $5 with a $25 deposit on each one, --- when you got across the desert, you turned them in and got your $25 back, -- one time we had to wait 2 hours to get a pair, as all of them were on the other side, and had to wait for somebody to come back across to turn theirs in,- and then we got them!  I also remember that it was around 115 to 120 degrees,- and with the two units in windows it was clear down to 75 degrees inside!

They were basically "evaporative a/c units" (commonly called "swamp coolers")--- you can still buy the  big ones to use in your house!

They had a propeller in front that turned a tiny waterpump, which pumped water up on top on inner cylinder, - through a copper tube with holes in it for even distribution.  The water ran down on a piece of burlap (I think about 3 layers), and the evaporation of water takes away the heat and cools air which was pushed into car!-- some cooled a metal tube, and air coming through the tube  was cooled and directed into car (minus humidity) -- these were the expensive ones!  The cheap ones blew in the "humidified" air with the moisture in  it, -- and this made you feel a little warmer (than actual temp.) as humidity helps you sweat, -- but still a lot cooler than outside!

The dryer the air was (less humidity)-- the more they evaporatred water, and the colder they got!  But in rain they were a "lost cause"! Because when air full to saturation point there is no evaporation!  That was when you rolled the window down a little  and pulled them off and put in the trunk!

It was also a good idea whenever parked to roll down a couple windows, so you had good airflow though the car to dry out isnside, as after a while it starterd smelling "musty" inside if you didn't!

Sure wish I could get my hands on one  (for a month or so) to "duplcate" them to use in my cars that have no a/c,- or not worth money to fix systems - even though they still drive ok!

Answer 3

This has nothing to do with the originality of the car. Somebody modified something for their convenience very recently.

Answer 4

a tampon dispenser

Answer 5

It is a swamp cooler. An early form of air conditioning. It,s full of water, air blows in past it and puts off cool air.

Answer 6

43 or 36 ford or Lincoln its like air conditioning grabs air while you drive to cool the inside of the back seats

Answer 7

ITS AN OLD AIR COOLER WORKS WITH WATER. THEY USED TO RENT THEN ON OLD HWY 66 WHEN YOU GOT READY TO CROSS THE DESSERT. THEY DID NOT HAVE A.C IN THOSE DAYS

Answer 8

It's an old school air conditioner. Air enters the front, spinning a turbine, and the cooled, condensed air gets blown into the vehicle.

Answer 9

window cover