Package Tray Knob

[crystal59]

There is a knob that sticks up and that I have never seen before. I do not know what it is and not in the manual. Gary

[Pat Marshall]

Gary, below is an excerpt from a recent post by Nick...

Any water that enters through the nostrils is drained via the tees that are connected to the tops of the wheel wells on each side inside the trunk. That's the lowest point on these hose connections. The hoses go downhill from the nostrils to the tees and then up to the blower assemblies. These wire molded hoses would rot after time and owners would wind up getting water in the trunk. I am able to shut off the fresh air from the nostrils via the package tray knob. It's cable operated and turns the metal oval flaps that have a rubber gasket

[Nick DeSpirito]

Gary,

Definitely an add on as there were no other knobs on the package tray except the fresh air knob. I'm curious to know what it's for. Can you investigate?

[SLK]

Does it slide up and down or turn? If so, how much? Can you see how far down the rod goes? Maybe if you pull the back seat it be easier to see.

Then again, you might not care that much...

[Pat Marshall]

It's the Auxilliary Rear Seat Control for the Dealer Option, Exhaust Flame Thrower System (EFTS). www.hotlicksexhaust.com

[Shelly Harris]

Here is a wild guess, but could it be a fader control or switch on the rear speaker?

[Don Henschel]

I certainly hope somebody didnt install an A/C thermostat switch in your evaporator located behind the seat! It almost looks like it could be that.
These compressors were never ment to cycle on and off like newer compressors. The temperature was controlled by a throttling valve on the compressor. As it is these compressors were only supposed to be turned on at an engine idle! If you turn your A/C on at highway speeds this will destroy your clutch. Gary you might want to see what this knob is for.
http://www.acparts.ca/catalogues/fullview.php?imageID=1789

[Stank-67-98]

I agree...likley a dealer/ owner spker fader, easy enough to check

[Don Henschel]

Silly place for a reason if it's the switch. You will notice there is a capilary tube coming from the switch. They had to be placed near the evaporator and the tube inserted into the fins for the thermostat to work. Does this mystery knob turn quite stiff and can you hear a click when you turn it?
Take a bright light and shine it in around that critter and see what kind of tenticles are coming from it.
Looks kind of big and nasty for a fader control.

[Don Henschel]

Thats how those thermostat switches work. They are like the one inside of your refrigerator (the control you see when you open the door). When you turn it all the way to off you hear a click. When you turn up the temp. to colder you hear another click when they turn your compressor on or off. Check under the hood to see if you have that large HH Techumseh compressor. If you do, and that mystry switch is a thermostat, rip it out by the roots.The weak spot on these compressors is the front clutch plate. I just received one from Classic Auto Air. Curtis informed me they are very difficult to find due to the clutch surface wearing out or the delicate springs get broken from turning them on at high engine speed instead of idle.

http://www.classicautoair.com/Catalog/FactoryCatalog.pdf
Look on page 12 for a picture of this compressor.
If you have a newer compressor a thermostat will not hurt it. Just look through that grill and look for 2 wires and a shiney aluminum tube about 1/16 in diameter if it is a thermostat.

[Don Henschel]

That there is a good old HH Techumseh! A very well built compressor in it's day if you treat it right. I just received the necessary parts to rebuild mine. Those parts are worth hoarding as they are running out fast!
Check out that damn knob!
Is this car a 56 or 57?

[Don Henschel]

In the front right lower corner of the crankcase is a sight glass (56 only) that you could use to see if you had enough oil in your compressor. If there is no oil visable and you recharge the A/C your compressor dies a slow horrible death.
Another fragile item on these compressors was the generator bracket. If you didnt install the generator correctly, the base with the generator brackets would break.
As for the freon, you can still purchase it down in the States. I wouldnt worry about it. Leave it in.
Stay away from that Red Tech or Propane Butane blend if you ever add.