Thread: RPU wiper shenanigans---

Tweet

Not everyone wants a windshield wiper, and I can understand that---we don’t drive our roadsters in the rain anyways. But---in Ontario, the law demands that you have one on your car, whether you intended to drive in the rain or not. And if you ever want to transfer that car, the safety inspection boys won’t pass it if you don’t have a wiper. When I set out to build the soft top for my roadster pickup, I decided that it would probably be a good idea to incorporate a wiper into the design. In the pictures attached, you will see the wooden header that I made from Douglas fir. That hole with the rounded corners that passes all the way through the header, lets the business end of my wiper shaft extend from the inside of the car, out over the windshield to where the wiper attaches. The area around the hole that appears to be countersunk about 1/16” is where I glued a piece of 1/16” veneer to close the top side of the hole. The hole that passes all the way thru the header is just wide enough that when the wiper motor is in place, there is clearance to slide the wiper arm over the end of the shaft and tighten the screw that holds it in place. The view from outside the car shows the “parked” position of the wiper and arm, and the picture from inside shows the finished header with the chrome wiper motor attached to it. The strange looking “prism” thingie lets me see traffic lights overhead—the top is low enough and extends beyond the windshield far enough, to give you the “hunch-neck syndrome” trying to see the traffic light. I don’t have the wires to the wiper motor ran yet, but I will get to it---Honest Officer. Now----don’t all rush out and put a wiper on your car. I just posted this for interests sake, and to fill in a long Sunday afternoon.----Brian

most places do require a wiper upon inspection but most of the states require that they only be there. here in ny, the rubber needs to be good and that's it ( other than the wipers need to contact the windshield ). the wipers don't work on my '51, I have a vac leak in the line running to the motor that I have to fix, but the wipers do go up about half way, and stop. Looks like a pretty neat setup u have there, and you won't be wating under an underpass if u do get cought out in the rain

In Virginia, at least one wiper is required, and they test it. Virginia also disallows shaved door handles. At least Va. Beach doesn't require emissions testing.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

In Virginia, at least one wiper is required, and they test it. Virginia also disallows shaved door handles.

No shaved door handles??? Wonder what the rationale is on that??? Just another case that most legislators don't know poo poo about hot rodding!!!!!

The no shaved door handles law is because, if you're trapped inside after an accident and unconscious, the rescue guys might not be able to get you out.I heard of such a law in one of the Canadian provinces back in the 'sixties, but never found it written anywhere.

Nice setup! Now where did you get that prism from I have the same issue with the traffic lights.

"The strange looking “prism” thingie lets me see traffic lights overhead—the top is low enough and extends beyond the windshield far enough, to give you the “hunch-neck syndrome” trying to see the traffic light."

jc

Originally Posted by R Pope

The no shaved door handles law is because, if you're trapped inside after an accident and unconscious, the rescue guys might not be able to get you out.I heard of such a law in one of the Canadian provinces back in the 'sixties, but never found it written anywhere.

To refute that argument all you have to do is point to the automatic door locks that lock all the doors as soon as the car moves. If they need to get you out, they can break a window! Another rediculous law trying to protect us from ourselves!

Pat

Originally Posted by 29arod

Nice setup! Now where did you get that prism from I have the same issue with the traffic lights.

"The strange looking “prism” thingie lets me see traffic lights overhead—the top is low enough and extends beyond the windshield far enough, to give you the “hunch-neck syndrome” trying to see the traffic light."

jc

These guys have 'em. I can't find it on their web page, but I saw them in their catalog. They are popular with the chopped top crowd.

http://www.thenightprowlers.com/

Pat

I bought mine thru Horton Enterprises in Milton, Ontario.

Originally Posted by 29arod

Nice setup! Now where did you get that prism from I have the same issue with the traffic lights.

"The strange looking “prism” thingie lets me see traffic lights overhead—the top is low enough and extends beyond the windshield far enough, to give you the “hunch-neck syndrome” trying to see the traffic light."

jc

Speedway Motors has em also.

my traffic light viewer I have is the original that came on my car in '51, quite a rare peice to have. I'll need it with the sunvisor

Hi Brian,
I am bookmarking this page for detailed study. I am at the point of installing my header bow on foldable 2" chopped top irons (beautiful stainless!) and find that the Speedway wiper shaft (the same as yours) is too short to go through the wood all the way so I will need to carve out the space without weakening the bow very much. I do not see any hinges on your top bows so I guess your top is sort of a removable Carson top? On my folding bows if I mount the wiper motor to the wood it will have to fold back with the top and then what happens to the blade? I will attach some pictures in the next post but I am writing before I go to a half day job. I called Speedway and they said some roadster owners allow the motor to be mounted in the wood bow and then fold back with the top assuming wires are added to the top bows to go with the bow. I realize a lot of roadsters simply skip the wiper but I also need a wiper for inspection so I would like to see some more pictures of any other solution to this problem. One local rodder told me there is a wiper motor available somewhere with a longer shaft but I like the way you hid the wiper shaft under the bow edge; beautiful work as usual for you!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don--A very timely post. I've had that wiper in place for 4 years now, and just hooked it up electrically the day before yesterday!!! I wanted it for my trip to the east coast nationals. I leave theis Friday.---Brian

First off, Brian, I hope your nationals trip is not only a dry one, but a safe one as well. Bring back bunches of pics please.

____________________________________________

PA requires a wiper, so I have one on the 34. Ain't worth a damn (7" blade) and slow as moses. I have none on the 57 (it passed inspection that way, too). Shafts are still there so the arms can be put on in case some cop gets his panties in a bunch, but they are vacuum operated and again not worth a damn either.

As for the prizms I got them on both cars, the 34 because of the chopped top and the 57 because of the visor. Nice to have, better at night than in the day. The ones that are like seashells (Guide types) are supposed to be better but I find neither are really all that good.

Hi Brian,
I too hope you have a good trip. I do not know your itinerary, but if you come down I-95 (and make it through the DC-Frederickburg delay zone; the world's longest narrow parking lot!) maybe you could stop off at Exit 68B, Atlee-Elmont, just north of Richmond. I am literally about 100 yards from I-95 but have some trees as a buffer for the constant swishing of traffic. Make a right at Route US 1 and turn right at a narrow lane marked Old Telegraph Road and stop in at 10500 in my long gravel driveway! It looks like I will have to drill through the header bow if I want to use the wiper motor I have. In the first picture I have just placed the header on the top irons but back about two inches so you can see the width of the header and the length of the shaft. It does look like I can drill through the header oak at the stock indent in the bow and there the shaft will be long enough. However that means the motor will flop back with the top when it is folded back and maybe I can get the top folks to make a little bag like a knife sheath for the wiper blade to keep it from snagging the top material, but it looks like the only way I can use this motor with this header bow is to drill through it and mount it on the wood instead of the top of the windshield frame. that means I will have to figure out some way to route the wires along the top irons. The second picture is just to show the neat stainless top bows I got from Bratton's Model A parts. Regarding the frame for the back window it turns out that Bratton's offers a 20" wide frame for $187 for a Sport Coupe compared to the $220 roadster frame which is only 17" wide. I think I will get the wider, cheaper frame to get a slightly better rear view. Anyway it looks like I will have to do some careful carving on the bow and maybe I can do it with my Dremel tool and some care counting on the fact that the work will be on the underside of the bow.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder