I ran across this note in an ASME newsletter:
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/november-4-packard-offers-first-car-air-c onditioner-132542726.html
Don't remember the year now, 50'ish I think, there was a Lincoln in a Houston Dealer's showroom that had AC, the compressor was huge, and the old style Y or V shape. I was suitably impressed, got my first AC car in the 60's.