Vacuum Wiper Motor

I'm putting my 1939 Ford coupe back together and the subject of windshield wiper motor has been bugging me. I can get the original vacuum unit rebuilt or go electric.

Who rebuilds vacuum units to work almost (or as reliable as) an electric unit?

Or

Who makes an electric unit that fits the stock location of the vacuum unit - and doesn't "show" with a bulge?

 

Not really trying to poke fun, but:

Have you tried the searcg engine known as "Google"??

I got results in less time than it took to read your title.

http://macsautoparts.com/early-v8-e...-ford-a17508e12/camid/F30/cp/JS0R3CHL1077250/

http://cgfordparts.com/wwwsectionfiles/cg_cat1_wiper.html

Here's the first two...

Cosmo

 

New Port Engineering

 

To answer one part of your question -- DO NOT go with a vacuum wiper motor.
First rainstorm going up a hill you will regret it.

 

Mac's leaves a HUGE bulge in the front of the headliner........C&G charges $160 for a rebuilt unit and you need a core to get that price. Ficken charges $99 to rebuild your unit, 3 week turnaround, but I know nothing about them. Newport (electric) is $209 (I'm leaning in that direction) but leaves a slight bulge in the headliner - it will however work with my wiper transmission.Mighty Wiper ($135 won't work with my wiper transmission so I'll need 2 each ($270). I read all the info here (Tech Archives) that I could find. I guess the question is what is the most economical way to have a safe system, realizing that while the car will be used quite a bit going to rod runs, etc., chances of using the wiper system are slight.

And yes, I do use the search engines Google, Yahoo and Bing as well as the Tech Archives here (1st choice) when looking for answers.

 

Place in New York rebuilds them I did one on a 36 and it worked like a champ. Fricken I think is the name and you can find them in Hemmings. They have lots of trico stuff.

 

The vacuum units are easy to rebuild yourself and if you have a more modern motor than a straight 6 or Flathead it will work fine in the rain going up hill. I have seen vacuum canisters hidden to give more vacuum volume if that makes sence. Saves a ton of money for something else.............

 

Ficken Wiper Service (http://www.wiperman.com/) is the go-to place on the Ford Barn.

 

Why regret it? When they come to a dead stop, you can inspect the condition of the wiper blade from the safety of your drivers seat.

 

I have a 1939 standard sedan. I chose the Newport Engineering kit for the sedan. The Bosch motor sticks out some. The electric motor kicks. I have experienced driving rain going to Texas several times. The stock towers and linkage work well. There is a radio box with the radio, wiper control and my B & M transmission temperature guage mounted on the ceiling in front of the wiper motor. I recently had a removable fiberglass bulkhead cover made to cover the radio box and wiper motor area. The cover is anchored at the visors and rearview mirror. The car will be going in to finish the interior soon.

 

Anybody ever used an electric vacuum pump, like one from a diesel car? I think I salvaged a few from some turbo Volvo model or something for some damn project worth doing but what it was I can't recall right now. Is something like that capable of powering vacuum wipers?

 

i thought about using an alternator off of a diesil as they have a vaccum pump on the back, or even just a little electric pump in line somewhere would do the trick nicely,or you could just run a hose through to the cabin for the passenger to suck on, its only up hills right.

 

My 50 ford has the original vacuum motor and it does not work. I have not checked out why yet. If I have to replace the motor I think I'm going with electric. If I get the vacuum motor to work I am going to use Rain-X on the windshield with them first to see how I like it. That stuff works!:

 

I had a 55 Pontiac v8 with stock fuel pump that had a vacuum pump built in that kept the wipers working at wide open throttle. Don't know if it was the only cars to have that.
rtp

 

First take your motor out and take it apart and clean it.. The paddle that makes vacuum has a leather like pad sandwiched in it called blackhide. Coat the paddle with vasoline and put it back together. You should be able to hear it work by moving the arm. It will never be as good as an electric one but will work. PS its free, just a bit of labor.

 

that rainex is good for a little while.

 

Go with the electric. First bad rain storm you get caught in you will wish you had went with electric instead of the vacuum motor. I still use Rainx on everything

 

them fancy lectrical wipers aye.

 

Try a Lucas motor out of a pre-c.1980 British car. Despite being Lucas they're quite reliable. They're simple, easy to rebuild, easy to set up and adjust. Being cable drive they can be mounted wherever is convenient with no bulges etc. They can be had as single-speed or two-speed, but making them intermittent means adding a simple little home-built circuit board which, if assembled with a potentiometer, makes the intermittent period adjustable. And because the basic design dates from the '40s or earlier, it's completely period if it's visible.