Electric wipers

464Saloon

I hate to ask about this since it was just covered a few weeks back, but I can't get the search feature to work. I just got done converting my car to 12v and I want to put in the electrric wiper conversion. Someone posted here that one was bing made for the stepdowns, but I can't remember who and like I said the search doesn't work.

Thanks,

[Deleted User]

e-mail fbotte@aol.com 516-223-8888 . we just bought three of them and they look good .Hudson Dave . [url]www.FatWhiteWalls.com:p[/url]

464Saloon

Thanks,

I'll try, but that wasn't the name I remember.

mars55

Try these threads for electric wiper convensions:



http://www.classiccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6865&highlight=electric+wipers



http://www.classiccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6280&highlight=electric+wipers

464Saloon

That's what I was looking for.

Thanks,

464Saloon

Dave,

Is that e-mail for Newport or is this another manufacturer. RJ's gets 199.00 for the Newport kit and newport gets 205.00 direct.

[Deleted User]

this guy is in n.y. like i said we just bought three of them and they look good . i am going to put mine in this weekend i will let you know how it gos if you want. Hudson Dave:)

464Saloon

Dave,

Yes I would like to know how they work and if you don't mind how much were they? My vacuum is completely shot and likes to occasionally shoot the wipers cross the windshield then leave them there. The switch has no effect so it needs to be replaced. Might as well go electric.

nick s

464, sounds like your problem may be in the controls not the motor. If the wipers work occasionally, the motor is at least somewhat free. the "switch" actually pulls a small diameter cable to operate the valve on the wiper motor. if the cable is broke or loose on the motor end you could get some erratic behavior. for example mine quit alltogether a couple years ago, turned out to be the screw securing the sheathing of the cable to the motor. check out your cable, if you find a problem, perhaps a little neetsfoot oil will free everything up. put a llitle rain-x on and enjoy the charm of the vaccum wipers. unless you're a rodder that wants a new chevy to look like an old hudson, you don't need electric wipers. how often do you plan on driving in the rain anyway?

464Saloon

Nick,

Point well taken. The cable does work fine as it moves the lever back and forth on the motor when the knob is turned. Probably dirty or stuck inside. I am far from wanting to turn the car into a Chevy rodder. It is a Hudson and I want it to be a Hudson BUT like I did when I restored my 55 Ford F-100, some minor things can be done to make the car more driveable today. I had vacuum wipers on my 55 and still have them on my 51 Ford F-1 and they are just awful. Practically useless as I see them. So 12v conversion, alternators, electronic ignitions and electric wipers just make them more reliable and serviceable when on the road. These changes don't really take away from the Hudson look and feel as I see it. Now a sb Chevy, rack and pinion steering and turbo 350 with Ford rear end and it ain't a Hudson anymore.

[Deleted User]

If you plan on driving your Hudson only on days when it is not going to rain, you may not get to drive it much. Every time I drive my car I want to be ready for any weather, and I do have vacumn wipers. It takes some work to keep them working at their best but it is worth it. I took a 600 mile trip last year with absolutely no rain in the forecast for 5 days. Came back on day 3 and spent the last 3.5 hours in the rain! Sure glad I took the time to clean and lube everything before I left.
Bob

rambos_ride

Aren't the old vacuum wipers the first truly "intermittent" wiper system?

nick s

absoluetly bob, the wipers are no different than the rest of the systems, keep up with the pm's and they will be fine and treat you right. now keeping dry in that rainstorm, thats another issue all together. Bob I had one of those days this spring, no rain around just a clear sunny day (so the weathermen said) but i was fortunate enough to have that one lone rainclould join me after 20 miles and stay with me for the next 150 or so miles.



growing up, watching the wipers at a standstill going up long hills and jumping to life at the crest while sitting in the back of my dad's 41 C8 is definitly one of the things that grew my fascination and interest and perhaps why i can't see changing to electric. So i guess by the same token if you have awful memories of the wipers in your ford, though not my choice, i guess you may want to jump at the opportunity to change.



not so much intermittant dan, just "on demand" like the "mist" feature on a GM but instead of a little thumb flick you just twitch the ankle.

464Saloon

I remember one trip several years ago while at Willow Springs racing a friends 65 Mustang a huge black cloud coming in. Everyone cleared the track and loaded up to go. It was only a one day event anyway. I was towing the Mustang with my 51 Ford F-1 trying to outrun the storm coming. There were a lot of hills and grades coming out of the desert heading back for L.A. The old flathead V-8 which I built myself with a few tweaks ran hard, but that was a lot of weight to pull up hills for a .030 over 239. Well the cloud caught me finally and spending most of the time on the floor, I had NO wipers at all. I was literally sticking my head in and out of the window just trying to see where I was. I'll never forget it and when I restore that truck hopefully before too long it will get electric wipers too. I don't plan to drive in the rain, especially with the restored cars, but like you all said here, sometimes it can't be avoided.

464Saloon

So how did they work????

Jon B

I won't try to say that the vacuum wipers are as good as electric, and this is a safety issue. So, if you want to change over to electric be my guest.



However, if your vacuum wipers don't work well at all, and you're willing to try some fixes, there are some things you can do before throwing in the towel and converting to electric.



1. Have the wiper motor rebuilt (cost: about $60 from Ficken's on Long Island), or simply suck some neats foot oil into it and let the stuff sit for a few days to limber up the leather seal inside.



2. Check the linkage from the dash switch to the wiper motor to be sure it is pulling the lever on the motor all the way.



3. Grease all the wiper linkages (be they cable pulleys or mechanical arms) and get some oil down into the actual shaft on the chromed transmissions.



4. Try a different blade, just for grins. An old one, for example. I bought a new wiper blade a few years ago at a Hudson meet, and when I put it on, the wipers stalled! Something in the rubber compound just sort of grabbed the glass. Hard to imagine, but every time I put that blade back on, the wipers would grind to a halt!



5. Most important: if you don't already have one, install a dual-action fuel pump. This has a separate pump to provide vacuum to the wipers. Dave Kostansek has 'em. In my car (from the 1930's) I actually have a Trico accessory vacuum pump that clamps to the generator and has an idler wheel that runs off the fanbelt. Serves the same purpose at the dual-action fuel pump.



Yes, when everything is working right your wipers will slow down on hills, but they won't stall. Remember, like any other component of your car (including the engine), when these were new and in good condition they worked fairly well.



But, let's face it, not as well as an electric!

Unknown

Jon B,



Where did you get that TRICO accessory vacuum pump at? I am trying to keep my vacuum wipers on my 49 Hudson Commodore. I had to replace the double action fuel pump with a single action unit as the pump failed and started blowing oil out at highway speeds. The Hudson guru ( Bill A ) said that switching to a single action fuel pump is the best modification you can make to your Hudson - so I did. Unfotunately, that means no vacuum pump for the wipers.



Could really use your source for this part - maybe a part number also???



BST RGDS

GARY ( happychris )

Unknown

rambos_ride wrote:

Aren't the old vacuum wipers the first truly "intermittent" wiper system?

No, Dan; Intermittent wipers were first invented by Lucas.

464Saloon

Did Hudson Dave ever get those electric ones on? I would like to knopw how they worked as I plan to convert one way or the other.

[Deleted User]

464Saloon wrote:

Now a sb Chevy, rack and pinion steering and turbo 350 with Ford rear end and it ain't a Hudson anymore.

You guys are sooooooooo jealous! LOL