The Ford Barn

Steve Staysko · 09-15-2010, 01:07 PM

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:

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.

Old Henry 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 there was no way Henry was going to put the Goldberg's name on millions of 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.

I can hear your groans from here.

BrianCT · 09-15-2010, 07:27 PM

Groan, hey hey hey.

FL&WVMIKE · 09-15-2010, 08:19 PM

I think that Packard had the first car air conditioner in about 1938-39. It could have been 1940-41.
MIKE

Frank Cowan · 09-16-2010, 11:52 PM

lolol. I thought I was gonna be smarter for reading this.

Henry/Kokomo · 09-17-2010, 02:14 PM

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HUGE groan - but a great story!!! Thanks for sharing.

09-15-2010, 01:07 PM	#1
Steve Staysko Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dewinton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 463	Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner 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: 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. Old Henry 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 there was no way Henry was going to put the Goldberg's name on millions of 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. I can hear your groans from here.

09-15-2010, 07:27 PM	#2
BrianCT Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Windham, CT Posts: 702	Re: Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner Groan, hey hey hey. __________________ [FONT=Comic Sans MS]

09-15-2010, 08:19 PM	#3
FL&WVMIKE Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Daytona Beach, Fl & Spencer, W. Va, Posts: 4,442	Re: Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner I think that Packard had the first car air conditioner in about 1938-39. It could have been 1940-41. MIKE

09-16-2010, 11:52 PM	#4
Frank Cowan Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cocoa FL Posts: 66	Re: Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner lolol. I thought I was gonna be smarter for reading this.

09-17-2010, 02:14 PM	#5
Henry/Kokomo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kokomo, Indiana Posts: 1,731	Re: Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) HUGE groan - but a great story!!! Thanks for sharing.