Thread by @iowahawkblog

Ooo-wee! It's a sizzler down here in Texas today, calling for a #DavesCarIDService salute to clever heat-beating Houston oil man John Hamman. In 1930 had C&C Kelvinator install the world's first car air conditioning system on his 1929 Cadillac (wearing LaSalle wheels btw).

The Kelvinator on Hamman's Caddy was somewhat primitive, having its own motor. The first "factory" A/C (actual a very pricy aftermarket dealer option installed by B&B) was offered in 1940 Packard, followed by Cadillac in 1941 (L) and Chrysler/DeSoto in 1942 (R).

Those pre-war B&B A/C systems were very very rare; in fact there are only a handful of survivors. A/C as a true factory option would have to wait until the 1954 Nash and expensive GM models. Both Nash (Kelvinator) and GM (Frigidaire) relied on their own refrigerator brands.

Before getting to the ol' car ID mailbag, let's all stand and recite the Dave's Car ID pledge:

I will tag my requests with #DavesCarIDService.

I will try to keep it to old family album pics, wilderness junkers, and odd street finds.

I will be polite and STFU about politics.

Let's kick off with this terrific photo featuring a 1938 DeSoto. That swanky 5-rib '38 DeSoto bumper the kids are perched on would later become a prized item for 1950s custom lead sled builders.

https://twitter.com/Calvinballrefe1/status/1544463269678657539

Looks like the whole family took time to proudly commemorate their brand new 1932 Chevy BA sedan. I'm more a Ford Deuce fan, but the Chevy Deuce was a handsome car in its own right, with its elegant double arch headlight bar and chrome hood vent doors.

https://twitter.com/CitusViratus/status/1543735333119860736

Here's one from Canada to cool things down: Dad's driveway car was a 1963 Pontiac Catalina or Ventura, but how 'bout that classic split-level ranch?

As a transplanted Northerner, I don't complain about Texas heat. Because you don't have to shovel hot.

https://twitter.com/dantappin/status/1543274068085878784

The citizenry of Schenectady knew to call Floyd Vedder and his 1941-42/46 GMC for all their gasoline and kerosene needs.

Hmm. I wonder if he's related to Eddie?

https://twitter.com/Cannoneer155/status/1541505497035165697

Sand & gravel heiress Mildred is supplying some fender candy on another hardworking family business truck, this one a 1940-41 Ford 1.5+ ton.

https://twitter.com/VicariousTLo/status/1541217761753538560

*kinda sad that 'Mildred' has virtually disappeared as a name. I've known precisely one Mildred in my life, and oddly enough she's still only in her 60s. Named after her grandma, and had it legally changed to Leigh when she was a teenager.

Grandma's sizing out Lil' Mom as a hood ornament for the family's 1923-24 Chevy Superior touring. Note the souvenir "Toronto" badge on radiator. Souvenir city emblems were a fairly common sight in the 1920s and 30s.

https://twitter.com/SteveAndrews144/status/1541130831506333698

🎵Well, now, take down your fishin' pole and meet me at The Fishin' Hole
We may not get a bite all day, but don't you rush away🎵

Granddad apparently went to fetch his fish fry supper in a 1962 Ford Galaxie.

https://twitter.com/skeptic74/status/1541056987546488841

*those are the lyrics to the Andy Griffith Show theme, which is actually called "The Fishin' Hole." And Andy drove a '62 Galaxie patrol car, at least during the 1962 season.

Another family business workhorse, and hardworking Unk was mighty proud of his new Eureka Produce truck. And... eureka! It's a 1938 Chevy.

https://twitter.com/ths0002/status/1541054939102863361

Yet another family biz vehicle, and Unk's cabinet deliveries were made in a 1957 Chevy Apache panel truck.

https://twitter.com/SlangeVarDave/status/1540760899958370306

Great Grampa's hooptie here is a 1926 Oakland or 1927 Pontiac. Pontiac debuted in a 1926 as a low price offshoot of GM's Oakland brand, and proved so popular GM killed off Oakland in 1931.

https://twitter.com/ajwimsatt/status/1540692776907550720

*GM brands & their low price companion brands, to keep tire kickers from leaving the showroom when they got sticker shock from a Caddy, etc.

Another innocent kid humiliated by a mom's cruel juvenile fashion taste. The car is pretty cool though, a 1946-48 Pontiac Silver Streak, distinguish by Pontiac's trademark stainless steel "skunk stripe" trim.

https://twitter.com/jks417/status/1540452394609295360

Lil' Jean is fixin' to wow her co-parishioners with her new outfit in either (left) a 1952 Ford sedan with a smidge of rear end damage, or (right) a 1958 Chevy Impala or Bel Air 2 door hardtop.

https://twitter.com/jks417/status/1540448727856553991

Yessir, this classy lass is about to hop into a 1922-24 Ford Model T Tudor sedan.

https://twitter.com/JohnPlunket/status/1539786012142063618

The Plunkets also had an earlier Ford Model T, this one a 1915-16 touring. Another satisfied Ford repeat customer!

https://twitter.com/JohnPlunket/status/1539786396952666112

No humble Model T here, tho, but a luxurious (for the time) 1913 Packard Model 48 touring, possibly a well-heeled hotel guest's, and ready for valet parking.

https://twitter.com/JohnPlunket/status/1539786892719394816

*note right hand steering: Packard stubbornly clung to RHS longer than most US makers, and this was just about the last Packard with it.

Most early US cars were RHS, but the LHS 1908 Ford Model T changed everything. Within a few years most all US makers went to LHS standard.

Know your history, #vanlife hashtagging Instagram influencers: not only were these folks 100 years ahead of you, their Gypsy Van was a HYBRID GAS ELECTRIC. Made by Conklin's own Chicago-based Roland Gas-Electric Motor Bus Co.

https://twitter.com/HazeDoran/status/1538883378421698561

I scream! You scream! We all scream for ice cream from a 1936 Chevy truck, and a Good Humor one to boot. Good Humor prez Harry Burt made the first ice cream truck in Youngtown OH in the early 30s. (ht @DLCulverStudio)

https://twitter.com/frickcollection/status/1543564464846512128

Uncle Joe is demonstrating a time-honored Iowa tradition: pretending to be drinking your first beer at high school graduation. His car, a 1937 Chevy; his socks, unelasticized.

https://twitter.com/hawkarcher/status/1543646760333099016

Gramps & Joe were ready to prove Reading Is FUN-damental in their bitchin' 1947-53 Chevy 1.5 ton bookmobile with a 1952 Chevy to the side.

A little research indicates Hunter-McDonough Chevy was in Versailles MO, which I believe is pronounced phonetically.

https://twitter.com/dornmachine/status/1543279326749237249

Dolores and her emotional support Great Dane are trying to hail a ride in a 1958 Plymouth Savoy cab, behind a dinged-up 1953 Kaiser... wait for it... Manhattan.

https://twitter.com/Marc_Leibowitz/status/1539669987891224576

Compelled to correct the date here, as the car is a 1936 Mercedes Benz 230 W143 cabriolet. Beautiful photo, but a disturbing augur of events to come. (ht @tusenoch)

https://twitter.com/Ttalindeyzac/status/1539216655611482113

Nothing is impossible sir, for I can tell you with 100% rock solid certainty that the whole gang's posing in front of a 1935 Ford Tudor sedan. Consider your Hail Mary completed for a touchdown.

https://twitter.com/politicallyawol/status/1545810304575094785

*Just to be clear, I am neither infallible nor unstumpable, but this particular car is right in my wheelhouse (prewar Fords). I have a 35 Ford myself and am familiar with minute details thereof.

That's my quota of vintage fam pics for today; if you're still waiting on an heirloom ID please remain patient, sometimes it requires a little research.

Now onto wilderness mysteries, like this 1933 Plymouth sedan up in ol' Jellystone.

https://twitter.com/carrie_gavora/status/1545597319835516930

This in-progress chopped lead sled project started as a 1955 Buick 4 door sedan, and has a long long way to go.

https://twitter.com/xrae/status/1543596304521207811

*btw, the term "lead sled" derives from the old bodywork method of using melted lead to smooth body panels and joints on welds. Custom chopped/ sectioned cars from the 50s had a lot of such lead in them. A disappearing skill, and lead has almost completely replaced by Bondo.

What we have here is a 1960 Mercury Comet; not Mercury per se, as the debut 1960 Comet was only badged "Comet." Originally meant as a compact Edsel, it was sold at all FoMoCo dealers (Ford, Mercury & Edsel) before becoming a Mercury model.

https://twitter.com/TXchilinobeans/status/1543275184559464449

57 Buick riding piggyback on a 46-48 Chevy Styleline coupe.

https://twitter.com/HarriganPatrick/status/1542726509462319104

1942 or 1946-48 Ford Coupe with accessory reverse backup lights.

https://twitter.com/Swachtor/status/1540053039591170051

64 Ford Fairlane 500 hardtop; 42/46-47 Ford pickup. Camper is a neo-retro-fiberglass job, of recent vintage.

https://twitter.com/NOfTheBorder/status/1539253953166180354

56 Chevy 210 panel delivery wagon.

https://twitter.com/JonathanOC/status/1538950791330877440

Stay classy, San Diego! This Ford Thunderbird is a 1961, first year for the "Rocket Bird" design that would carry on in 1962 & 63.

https://twitter.com/FollowThePesos/status/1538596817813745665

This'n's a 1952 Chevy Styleline 2 door. My fave engine music is an uncorked Ford flathead V8, but the brrrap brrrap of a Chevy Stovebolt 6 thru split manifold & 1.5" twin straight pipes is pretty tasty, too.

https://twitter.com/dornmachine/status/1538536536727293952

Probably so, but this '47-'53 Chevy truck is certainly highly modified & updated underneath. 4wd wasn't a Chevy option, and I'd be shocked if it was running original 6 banger.

https://twitter.com/Guitanguran/status/1537129845423067136

"Mish mash"? How dare you sir, that is an almost Platonic Ideal Bomba-style 1935 Chevy Master Deluxe sedan. Bombas are the OG lowrider style, with emphasis on as many accessories as possible- fog lights, spotlights, big visors, bumper ornaments etc.

https://twitter.com/peakeman/status/1544847262475501569

*basically, Bombas are the Zoot Suits of custom car style. The original bombas in the late 30s were lowered with sandbags, but radical camber on this Chevy's front wheels indicate hydraulic suspension.

Anyway muchachas y muchachos, time for me to clock out for today. See y'all again mañana, until then stay cool... and Happy Motoring!