1956 Continental Mark II air conditioning problems

Question:

The expansion valve is stuck open on my 1956 Continental Mark II. Therefore, no more cooling is occurring via the evaporator coil. Everything else is working properly in the air conditioning system. The A/C system in a Mark II is totally unique to the car in that the evaporator coil is mounted under the package tray inside the trunk of the car. The expansion valve has a small tube line soldered into one of the evaporator coils.

Another small tube with a sensing bulb at its end is also soldered to the top of the expansion valve with a long line, so its sensing bulb can be clipped to a cooling line farthest from the expansion valve. The other two large tube lines from the evaporator coil that go in and out of the expansion valve are flared with a threaded fitting and can be easily unscrewed from the expansion valve.

Total production for the 1956-57 Continental Mark II was only 3005 units, and approximately 70 percent of production was ordered with air conditioning. Today it is believed that 1500 cars still exist. Due to the low production numbers, I have not been able to find either an N.O.S. or good used (in working condition) expansion valve for my Mark II. I am trying to keep the car completely stock, so my questions are:

a) Can the expansion valve be repaired?

b) If it can be repaired, can you recommend someone?

c) Do you know where I can purchase a new expansion valve that will work in my cat?

d) Can you recommend someone I can take my car to who can make this repair? It is summer in Texas with the temperatures in the high 90s, and my wife refuses to ride in a black car with no air conditioning. A new wife is not an option. Dean Forbes

Answer:

OK, Lone Star car buffs, where can "Dean take his car to get it fixed? Surely there is somebody in Dallas, Houston or Amarillo who can repair this vintage air conditioning system. Also, could there be anyone out there who has the correct expansion valve for this system? Please let us know at Auto Restorer (email tkade@i5publishing.com) and we will pass the info along to Dean. I know it is probably not too likely, but rarer items than that have turned up over the years.

If you can’t obtain an original expansion valve, Allied Refrigeration, a company that has locations in several western states, although not Texas, deals in refrigeration and air conditioning components from small automotive units to huge casino systems. It will very likely have an expansion valve that will work. But the sensing unit that is soldered to the expansion valve is filled with alcohol, and if that is damaged, the whole assembly will need to be replaced. Allied is not near you, but if you know the orifice size you need, you can order a replacement assembly from them at:

Allied Refrigeration: https://allied-refrig.com/

You will be a lucky man indeed if you can find an original correct expansion valve for your Continental, but there are so many other units out there that I am sure you or a qualified air-conditioning repair shop can find something that will work and will fit where the original did.

I can’t believe that even the fussiest of show judges would look for anything as esoteric as an original expansion valve on an air conditioning system.