Since I'm going to try and register this M38 as a regular passenger vehicle (as opposed to an "Antique") it'll need to pass a state inspection. I don't need to bring the vehicle to today's standards but if it was stock equipment when the vehicle was new it needs to be there. No seat belts? No problem...an M38 never had them. No wiper? Problem. I need to have one of those.
I've driven a topless flat fender a considerable distance in a rain storm. I can tell you that a wiper makes little difference. I spent more time wiping the inside of the windshield with my sleeve than the wiper did working on the outside of it. Oddly, the rest of me stayed surprisingly dry so long as I kept moving.
Anyways, a wiper will be all but useless to me except to pass the inspection. I really miss the days when as long as you left a 30-pack on the garage counter you where leaving with a valid inspection sticker. The condition of the vehicle was irrelevant. I don't have one of those guys anymore.
So today's task was rigging up a wiper. I tried using a spare Trico SF 616 vacuum I had laying around but couldn't get it to work - nor do I want to spend the money to repair or replace it.
Next up was one of those generic "universal" electric wiper motors. They are complete crap but for now it is operable. Here's how it went.
I wired a 10A fuse to the "ACC" terminal of the key switch. I used a bullet connector here so I can easily disconnect in the event I have to remove the windshield.
I snaked some rubber hose through the firewall and fished the positive wire through it and then through the hole in the side of the tub. Next, feed the positive wire through a length of steel brake line tubing. If you wait until after you bend the line it will be much more difficult (if not impossible) to feed your wire through it.
Next, bend the steel line to the proper shape. I used an original bent vacuum line to help get me started on the overall shape and then just jammed it into place. A new roll of masking tape makes a good tool for bending the line in nice even arcs. It can be removed for paint once it's all bent to shape. As you can see I still need to paint some of the hardware here too.
I filed the sharp edges off the end of the steel line and slid a length of heat shrink over the end of the wire and into the tube for added protection against any chaffing. I got a little carried away grinding ground points around where the motor contacts the windshield frame. I'll touch that up with paint later.
Then I slid a piece of rubber hose over the end, added a connector and attached the wire to the motor.
So now inside and out the electric wire is concealed by a set-up similar to what you would see with any vacuum wiper.
I have no hope that this wiper motor will even survive a rainstorm but as long as I can keep it dry until inspection time it should do the trick. I'm going to leave the passenger side alone. Worst case I'll install a hand wiper over there. At least I'd know that one will always work.
