Welcome To Lucas Auto A/C Car Clinic

Telephone: (818) 782-3501
Toll-Free: (800) 640-3501
FAX: (818) 782-1824
E-mail: LucasAutoAir@sbcglobal.net

LucasAutoAC@gmail.com

Mission Statement:

"Lucas Auto A/C and Car Care Clinic is committed to customer service excellence, innovation from services to business processes, and to empowerment of our talented team of technicians to do what is right."

 

Customer service excellence: to provide the most reliable, prompt and courteous service to our customers backed up by 12months/12000 miles warranty on all repairs.

Innovation from services to business processes: constantly striving for improvements in our services and business processes by providing training to our technicians, establishing strong relationships with our suppliers, being on the look out for new technological innovations, and becoming accredited with the best automotive and business agencies.

To do what is right: our mechanics perform the services in your best interest. We always carry out a vehicle safety check before we give the vehicle back to the customer.

Vision:

"To become a number one destination for all of auto repair and maintenance services."

Our History:

Lucas Auto A/C and Car Care Clinic was founded in 1958 by Norman Lucas as "Lucas Auto Air". Norman was passionate about Auto Air Conditioning using Freon, which was only invented in 1928 by Thomas Midgley, Jr.
From the very first day Lucas Auto Air was specializing in auto air conditioning, electrical, and cooling system repairs. Norman also established a retail shop for air conditioning parts that is operating to this present day.

In 2001 a compressor rebuilt center was added onto the existing facility. Since then our mechanics have rebuilt more than 10,000 compressors.

In 2006 as we received excellence in auto air conditioning, electrical and cooling systems and we expanded our range of services. We launched full line of maintenance and repair services, including tune-ups, oil changes, brake installation, and computer diagnostics. In April 2010 we were proud to announce a launch of a new service line. Tire replacement and balancing is now available in Lucas Auto A/C & Car Care Clinic.

 

The history of automotive air conditioning

For most parts of the U.S., warm air has arrived and many people are cranking up the air conditioning as soon as they hop in their hot cars. What a great invention, second only to heaters when the weather is not so warm. Here’s a question for all you car experts out there: What car was the first to have air conditioning?
Early automobiles were not exactly comfortable. Their skinny tires and rugged construction provided for a very rough ride. In winter, passengers bundled up and in the summer, air conditioning was a breeze that resulted from a top speed of 15 mph. Nothing gets hotter than the interior of a car. When car companies began closing up the cabs on cars, something had to be done. Vents were put in the floors of cars, but this brought in more dirt and dust than it did cool air.
In 1884, William Whiteley had a great idea of placing blocks of ice in a holder under horse carriages and blowing air inside by means of a fan attached to the axle. A bucket of near a floor vent was the automotive equivalent.
An evaporative cooling system followed. A temperature-reducing effect of air passing over water was called a Weather Eye. Such systems are actually still available for vans and RVs. This system was invented by a company called Nash.
But the first car with an actual refrigeration system was the 1939 Packard.
The "cooling coil", a large evaporator, took up the entire trunk, and the only control was a blower switch. This option allowed Packard to advertise, "Forget the heat this summer in the only air conditioned car in the world."

Cadillac followed in 1941 with 300 air conditioned cars. These early A/C systems had one big drawback: there was no compressor clutch, so the pump was on when the engine was running. To shut the system off, you had to stop, get out, open the hood, and remove the belt. It wasn't until after WWII that Cadillac advertised a new, high-tech feature: air conditioning controls. The controls were located on the rear package shelf, which meant the driver had to climb into the back seat to shut the system off. It was still better than reaching under the hood.
A/C was a rare option for many years. It wasn’t until 1966 that the Motor Service Manual stated that 3,560,000 A/C units had been serviced in the U.S. Sales of A/C equipped cars then took off. The 1987 figure for A/C units was 19,571,000. It's estimated that now over 80% of the cars and light trucks in operation have air conditioning.
Why such growth in the 70s and 80s? In the late 70s, people began moving to warmer states. Florida began felling up and an incredible rate. In the 80s, the option-craze hit. People wanted cars with every option possible. Dealers made extra money on extra options, so they ordered cars for their floor plans that were loaded , A/C being one of the most expensive options. Systems were getting better, and people realized that they didn't really have to sweat like pigs because their A/C units didn’t work well.

Today, heating and air conditioning systems are very efficient. Modern ATC (Automatic Temperature Control) set-ups are more dependable than the older vacuum and thermostatic creations. Computers also insure that both the passenger and driver are comfortable.
The future of automotive air conditioning is changing, and for the better. There are now more electronics and compressor designs. CFC's (chloro-fluoro-carbons, also known as R-12 or Freon) are causing a great deal of damage. A tiny quantity can destroy a lot of ozone. Auto repair businesses are taking steps to reduce the amount of R-12 that escapes during service work. Most cars today use a new refrigerant called R-134A, which contains no chlorine.

We’ve come a long way since that big block of ice used by Mr. Whiteley and we’ve probably got a long way to go. With a push of a button conveniently located within arms reach on the dash, we now have heat, cold air, music, light, and in some cars access to a telephone, computer or fax machine.
Can the automobile possible be improved upon any further? Advances are always being made in fuel economy and safety. I’d personally like to see a car that didn’t need tires. In the 100 or more years that cars have been around, you’d think someone would have come up with a way for moving a car that was a little more advance than a big air filled, thick, rubber balloon. When’s the last time you saw a Hover-Craft pulled over by the side of the road with a flat?

 

Lucas auto A/C Car Care clinic is licensed business for automotive repairs. License #: AC248247