Would like to know how to convert vacuum wipers to electric wipers. Cheapest way possible.
Are all 57 Ford wipers, cable run?
I put one of these on my Ranchero.... It worked great.
https://www.newportwipers.com/
If you can find an original 1957 Chevy electric wiper motor you'll have a variable speed wiper plus its a bolt on component that you can use your original cable and dash knob with.
I guess the switch for those must be actually on the wiper motor itself, otherwise I don't know why you'd need a cable..seems strange, but convienient in our case.
You are right , Rich. The wire to the motor is hot any time the key is on, but the switch at the motor is cable controlled.
I knew you guys would figure it out. I don't like a different knob on the dash. Don't look right.
I forgot to mention, the attachment point for the cable, is made of a thick semi-soft plastic. They are very prone to breaking, as plastic tends to dry up and become brittle.The part is available at Echler's in their tri 5 catalog, and is only about nine dollars.
The plastic slide piece actuates the switch inside, three position, off/park=low=high. I bought a new one from Echlers last year, it's very well made and is a heavier duty type compared to the original.
chevy wiper motor
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e186/62galxe/wiper.jpg) (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/62galxe/media/wiper.jpg.html)
You deserve an atta-boy for posting the picture. Why Ford didn't adopt an electric wiper motor the same time Chevy did is beyond my thinking. It has been my understanding that wiper assembly's installed on vehicles back then were mainly an outsourced item anyway. Given the fact that all the mounting holes, basic way of actuation and being cable operated were the same.
theres about 6 versions. heres some info I found.
http://www.southeastchevyparts.com/How-To-Identify-A-1955-1957-Chevy-Electric-Wiper-Motor_b_23.html
Trying to find a reasonably priced chevy motor and someone willing to part with one here in New Zealand proved impossible so I have ordered a Newport kit, complete with adaptor to allow use of the original knob and bezel, just waiting for it to arrive.
in the PNW where we get heavy rain and wind they can't keep up. For a while the more popular and far cheaper option was to use the British (Lucas) units which by reversing the input Speedometer cable easily is made to drive our opposing wiper blades. Wrecking yards are full of Jags just waiting to donate parts.
Besides scarcity and cost of using the tri5 unit the biggest drawback is that you still have those pesky cables to deal with.
My 2 cents.
Zap- :unitedstates:
Hey Zap, What year and model of Jag is compatible? I looked at a few in a yard and the ones I looked at....well not a likely to fit. ...not easily anyway. I have seen a Hemi in a VW, but it sure wasn't a bolt in. Anyway , you got me wanting to go back and look at the Jags again, and I have 2 of the brand x motors on the shelf. I want to move up to a better option myself.
That style wiper system was used on many British Leyland products for years. My 59 Bug Eyed Sprite had them, all the Bs and I'm pretty sure Triumphs did as well. Compact unit, cable length would be the limiting factor on motor location. 5/16 tubing I think with a single flair, wiper transmission can be flipped to give the correct "opposite" direction.
Sorry guys, just my opinion. Ford built my car 58 years ago and the windshield wipers worked. Today, those same windshield wipers work although it does have a Chevy motor instead of vacuum powering it. I bet a dollar to a donut in 58 more years the damn wipers will still work.
i have been told one from a 60 or 61 ford will fit
Quote from: canadian_ranchero on 2014-04-22 23:02
i have been told one from a 60 or 61 ford will fit
Yup, at least the 60. Put one in the Ranchwagon I had. Need longer screws and you have to bush the mounting holes (brake line worked perfect) and the cable needs to routed out the fire wall from the passenger side of the motor.
59 was a transition year for wipers, electrics were an option. In 60 became standard and 61 is the last year of opposing wipers. Those are the 3 years for Ford wipers that convert easily. Not sure what Lincolns and Mercs had in those years do know that my 56 Continental MK2 has electric wipers.
Chevy had electrics and 12 volts in 55 leaving Ford behind on those 2 items. (hate giving those guys credit but its true) Don't believe and someone can correct me but not all GM had electric wipers in 55.
Personally, believe the bast solution for wipers using only Ford parts calls for a combination from 58-61 cars. And it removes the wiper motor from the firewall. Its what I will be doing on my 57.
Zap- :unitedstates:
Off topic: I don't know why it took Ford so long to go to electric wipers but it took Chevy until 1960 to replace crappy ball bearings in the front hubs to tapered rollers :003:
All those kinds of decisions are made by the bean counters, eventually the market (customer demand) will drive the change. Or even the supply chain starts shifting and will convince the OEMs that it won't be long before a certain product will either not be supported as rest of their competition has switched. No one manufacturer leads the way on all aspects of the product.
Ideally, everyone is ahead in some areas to keep their customer base happy. And in the 50s the illusion of a totally new car was Madison Avenues' message every year. And it sold a lot of cars with vintage technology like vacuum wipers.
Zap- :unitedstates:
Heck , I don't care who made them, as long as they are electric. The chevy's bolt up nicely, look as if they were made for the Ford. I wouldn't mind slicking up the firewall though.
jjf, if you want to that the following is needed. Piece of 58 inner firewall where the motor mounts under the dash. All related 58 wiper linkage,yes linkage not cables, the wiper posts and not sure if the cowl panel is different on a 58 so grab one if its available. you'll have the rework your heater duct work as the wiper motor is right in the middle.
Now if you decide to with a British set-up you need a Lucas unit, look on Ebay and you'll see several models. beauty of those is you can mount them in your kickpanel. you again will need the wiper posts. No linkage to speak of as they're driven by ''speedometer'' cables running inside brake line tubing.
Hopefully Limey 57 or another of our overseas friends will chime in with vehicles they would recommend searching for in our junkyards.
I agree with you flash, parts are parts and I don't care where they come from.Well probably not ready to even consider Chinese or Russian parts.
Zap- :unitedstates:
I agree with you ,Zap about the parts from the Reds. What the hell was Viet Nam about? Not establishing trade relations or losing our jobs to cheap labor. It just pisses me off to no end , but the chinese are likely to be our only choice of pre- chromed goodies soon. Damned EPA.
LOL...may be it's some Washington long term cold war thing...heck half the chinese will be dead from toxic waste in a decade or two....you know, the "give them enough rope..." thing.
Fitted my Newport kit on Saturday, went to Napier on Sunday and it didn't rain at all, dammit!!! It did rain yesterday so took her out, wipers worked perfectly. Such a simple installation.
Good to hear i am installing mine here in the next few weeks! :burnout:
Quote from: junior58 on 2014-05-05 14:23
Fitted my Newport kit on Saturday, went to Napier on Sunday and it didn't rain at all, dammit!!! It did rain yesterday so took her out, wipers worked perfectly. Such a simple installation.
I thought it was one of the easiest upgrades I made, mark
I insalled the Newport version as well. Don't forget you need an extension for the wiper switch mounting to make it fit. I had some trouble with mine at first because I din't have enough voltage to the motor. Just used a hot wire from under the dash. Works real nice now that
Got The Newport Engineering Setup installed this weekend, Works like a charm. Only issue, I had to lengthen the wires about 10" because of the way i ran them into the cabin.
(http://scontent-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/10295660_10202692631170705_1634048417414011227_n.jpg)
Two rounds of Simple Green and 4 rounds of GUNK with a scrub brush and I still couldn't get all the 50 year old dirt and crap off the firewall.
I ran my wiring that way as well and found it is short. Haven't mounted the switch and extension yet, just deciding whether to lengthen wires or run them through another place (haven't had a good look for an alternative route yet, tho).
Zap,
Vacuum wipers were still std on 60-61's
My 61 Starliner had them.
Ron.
There you go, once again what's been touted as fact is corrected by reality. and just for further info on the subject found a place in Portland, OR that rebuilds electric wiper motors. I will be sending my 60 to them.
Zap- :unitedstates:
Alright guys, you got my attention now. I went to the Newport website and saw their extension to the switch that enabled you to use your existing dash grommet and knob. I also like the washer function as my foot operated one loses prime somehow and I'm tired of setting there pumping the thing.
I would like to know these things from someone that has made the conversion.
1. Has the wiper motor got a "Park" position that is easily set.
2. Does the sweep of the wiper go too far, my 57 Chevy motor goes a little too far.
Thanks guys, Jim
There is no setting of the park position on the Newport wiper that I know of. The sweep is good and does not wrap way around the glass. The reps told me that they intentionally set the sweep so the blades do not wrap around too far, as there have been issues with that in the past.
The wipers have a "Park" function when you turn them off. When installing the kit, do it with the wiper arms removed and then when you test them they will park themselves when turned off. Refit the arms at that stage and you are done. The sweep is just right - not too excessive that they go all the way around the screen curve but enough that you can see clearly straight ahead. I'll take a photo of mine at full sweep and post it so you can see, may not be till the weekend though.
Thanks junior58. Since I drive in the rain, it'll make it a little more pleasant if I have a better windshield wiper and a washer. Thanks, Jim
Here are the photos showing the sweep from parked to full sweep (may go slightly further on full sweep when screen is wet, but you get the idea). If you wanted them to go wider, you could adjust the arms up slightly when parked, but then you would end up with them parking too far up from the base of the screen.
Thanks for getting the pictures for me. That looks good. Jim
The wiper motors used in the conversion kits are based on marine wiper motors. The one I used has 2 speeds, park left or tight, adjustable sweep up to 120 degrees. I ordered the one with the shortest shaft and made my own mounting bracket.
The motors are all over the map as far as pricing, from $60-180. Depends on where there made I guess.
Got a bit of rain when out yesterday and the sweep was a little wider when wet, maybe also added to with air assistance while driving. Was able to see perfectly.
Testing the wipers with the arms off is a must! You could have them on wrong and drive them into the painted cowl on start up!
True that I've seen it done...not pretty.