Car pics too cool not to share

[ColoJeep]

Maybe he was out making sure that one little wiper was enough.

When's the last time you guys got caught in the rain in something old? For me it's usually a test of A - will the wipers still work, and B - will the old dried blade hold together and be flexible enough to work. In the moment of need one of those answers is usually no.

We went to a truck show with our 58 Apache , on the way home on I-70 it was pouring rain and the wipers were working fine , then they stopped . I drove home looking through the center of the windshield just above the dash , the high pressure area actually kept it rain free ! The wire from the switch to the motor fell off .

 

[chili_pepper]

B - will the old dried blade hold together and be flexible enough to work

They do make replacements....or are you just that authentic with your chariots?

 

[BlueC]

They do make replacements....or are you just that authentic with your chariots?

Are you suggesting replacing my date coded 1964 wiper blades. Next you'll say my date coded brakes and tires aren't any good.

Na, I'm not an old Corvette guy, I make logical and rational choices with my cars. I will say it's a pain in the ass to find new blades that fit with the old arms. Trico Classic has the right blade, but as far as I know you have to buy the whole stupid plastic arm to get the blade, then pull the blade. Few things bother me like seeing those garbage silver painted plastic wiper arms on an old car.

Speaking of that, do any of you know a better solution or resource for the old style blades?

 

[lBasket]

Are you suggesting replacing my date coded 1964 wiper blades. Next you say my date coded brakes and tires aren't any good.
View attachment 632887

Na, I'm not an old Corvette guy, I make logical and ration choices with my cars. I will say it's a pain in the ass to find new blades that fit with the old arms. Trico Class has the right blade, but as far as I know you have to buy the whole stupid plastic arm to get the blade, then pull the blade. Few things bother me like seeing those garbage silver painted plastic wiper arms on an old car.

Speaking of that, do any of you know a better solution or resource for the old style blades?

Do you have cars with vacuum powered wipers?

 

[BlueC]

Do you have cars with vacuum powered wipers?

No, those ended pre highway-era vehicles. My dad owns a few that originally had vacuum wipers, but they've been converted.

 

[chili_pepper]

Are you suggesting replacing my date coded 1964 wiper blades. Next you say my date coded brakes and tires aren't any good.

No comment.

Trico Classic has the right blade, but as far as I know you have to buy the whole stupid plastic arm to get the blade, then pull the blade. Few things bother me like seeing those garbage silver painted plastic wiper arms on an old car.

I get where you're coming from, certainly on the plastic wiper arms. Anco has a vintage style that appears to be stainless steel, no idea of availability.

https://ancowipers.com/parts/vintage-blade

Speaking of that, do any of you know a better solution or resource for the old style blades?

I did a search for just blade material, it seems to have gone (or is going) the way of the dodo. Hadn't realized this, feel like getting just the blades used to be a thing.

 

[BlueC]

I did a search for just blade material, it seems to have gone (or is going) the way of the dodo. Hadn't realized this, feel like getting just the blades used to be a thing.

Yep, called "refills". They're damn near impossible to find even for modern blades. It's getting close to 10 years since I had to buy a set of blades for one of my "classics", so IDK what's currently available, but the Trico Classic line was one of just a few available back then. They offered the blade in a refill, but it had to be custom ordered, or you could buy one of the loaded plastic arms from Oreillys/NAPA. I chose to just buy some loaded arms, pull the blades and toss the plastic. It worked, but I need to find a source for more, and I should probably go ahead and buy a dozen or so to stash away.

 

[chili_pepper]

They're damn near impossible to find even for modern blades.

Disposable, like the rest of our society. Throw away the arm and blade....because that makes sense...

 

[5632]

Speaking of that, do any of you know a better solution or resource for the old style blades?

Rain X

 

[Cheesy]

Maybe he was out making sure that one little wiper was enough.

When's the last time you guys got caught in the rain in something old? For me it's usually a test of A - will the wipers still work, and B - will the old dried blade hold together and be flexible enough to work. In the moment of need one of those answers is usually no.

Last week in the DeSoto. The electric wipers worked fine and the blades still did what they had to do. The arm springs that hold the blades to the glass, tho, sheesh. Kinda wimpy.

 

[BlueC]

The arm springs that hold the blades to the glass, tho, sheesh. Kinda wimpy.

I've mentioned here before about the wiper arms on my grandpaws Studebaker standing straight up at highway speeds. Somewhere after 60 they start lifting and by 75 they're all the way up pointing forward. I just use them as a guide showing me the way.

 

[Squatch]

Do you have cars with vacuum powered wipers?

No, those ended pre highway-era vehicles. My dad owns a few that originally had vacuum wipers, but they've been converted.

Last car I had with 'em was my daily driver '65 Rambler Classic 660 wagon. Had absolutely no issue with them, as the fuel pump was a dual (double) diaphragm version, so the wipers were not reliant on manifold vacuum. In fact, on a trip down from Everett, Washington to Sacramento and back for an AMC/Rambler show, we got caught in some pretty torrential rain. Our little group of thirteen cars had to pull over as two of the Ramblers that had been converted from vacuum wipers to electric units had their motors fail. Who'd of thunk it, ya know? I have zero issue with vacuum wipers.

 

[ColoJeep]

Last car I had with 'em was my daily driver '65 Rambler Classic 660 wagon. Had absolutely no issue with them, as the fuel pump was a dual (double) diaphragm version, so the wipers were not reliant on manifold vacuum. In fact, on a trip down from Everett, Washington to Sacramento and back for an AMC/Rambler show, we got caught in some pretty torrential rain. Our little group of thirteen cars had to pull over as two of the Ramblers that had been converted from vacuum wipers to electric units had their motors fail. Who'd of thunk it, ya know? I have zero issue with vacuum wipers.

The only time the vacuum wipers were an issue on my 51 Chevy was going up my parents driveway ( very steep ) 125 ft long 45 ft . elevation gain.
when it had snow on it , you had to drive wide open throttle with NO wipers operable .

 

[Rickyd]

Last car I had with 'em was my daily driver '65 Rambler Classic 660 wagon. Had absolutely no issue with them, as the fuel pump was a dual (double) diaphragm version, so the wipers were not reliant on manifold vacuum. In fact, on a trip down from Everett, Washington to Sacramento and back for an AMC/Rambler show, we got caught in some pretty torrential rain. Our little group of thirteen cars had to pull over as two of the Ramblers that had been converted from vacuum wipers to electric units had their motors fail. Who'd of thunk it, ya know? I have zero issue with vacuum wipers.

Interesting,the fuel pump doubled as a vacuum pump?

My 66 rambler classic 660 had an electric fuel pump when I got it with the wipers hooked to manifold vacuum.

Going up steep hills in the rain I would alternate the throttle and the wipers on full so I could get up the hill and kinda see where I was going

 

[Squatch]

Interesting,the fuel pump doubled as a vacuum pump?

Yep. In fact, I still have a brand new one in the garage for a little 290-powered '66 Rambler Rogue that I used to own. They work like a charm.

 

[gbirk]

Got to introduce my youngest daughter to jet car drags. The pictures/video do not even come close to the experience of being 40ft from the car. It was a good night.

 

[BlueC]

Had absolutely no issue with them, as the fuel pump was a dual (double) diaphragm version, so the wipers were not reliant on manifold vacuum.

That's how Ford had them set up on the flatheads, but when you change intake manifolds, you typically have to change the fuel pump, or at least that's what my dad ran into. I forget exactly why. I think the original had a large glass fuel bowl that interfered with the aftermarket intake manifold.

 

[ColoJeep]

That's how Ford had them set up on the flatheads, but when you change intake manifolds, you typically have to change the fuel pump, or at least that's what my dad ran into. I forget exactly why. I think the original had a large glass fuel bowl that interfered with the aftermarket intake manifold.

Pontiac used the vacuum pump setup and wipers at least until the late 50's , A buddy's 58 Catalina with a 370 V-8 had it . Chevy's had vacuum wipers on 6 bangers and electric on V-8's in the mid to late 50's.

 

[Cheesy]

The only vehicle I had with suck wipers was my 1952 Chevy 3100 pickup. I was surprised that the 52 Ford F2 that replaced it had electric. I guess they were standard on the 6 banger and an option on the v8.

A vacuum wiper story. I was maybe 10 years old and had to hold the flashlight (IYKYK) for my Dad while he was troubleshooting the 6 on his 57 F100. It was running like crap. He had done points, condenser, plugs, cap, rotor, and wires. Still no luck. He was getting ready to pull the dizzy when I asked if the hose by that 'half moon looking thing' was supposed to be connected to something. He looked over to the wiper motor, hung his head, and muttered something like, "goddamsunuvabitchjesushchrist". He plugged the hose back onto the vacuum motor, started the engine, and it ran great. He got back out of the truck, still muttering, but said "Good eye" to me.

 

[Zorba]

Only experience I've had with vac wipers is indirect - our school busses had them when I was a wee lad.