Automatic wipers

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Automatic wipers

Post by Chris Haynes »

Were any type of automatic wipers available for the '28/'29 trucks? All I have seen are the manual wiper.
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Neil Wilson
Posts: 3062
Joined: February 5th, 2003, 9:42 pm
Body Type: 82-A/89-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Boulder, CO
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Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Neil Wilson »

Chris,
All 82-A cabs came with the hand operated wiper. Modifications would be required to install an electric after market wiper. I have not done this myself.
Regards, Neil Wilson
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Farrell In Vancouver
Posts: 314
Joined: February 23rd, 2011, 6:52 am
Body Type: Deck
Model Year: 1931
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Farrell In Vancouver »

Chris, as noted the 28-29s mostly came with the hand operated wipers. Cannot remember when in 29 the vacuum wipers were made available. If you are like me the vacuums are not much of an option. I live in a province that gets enough rain annually to drown a parking meter.
I have been modifying electric wipers for the cars and just finished a setup for the AA. Originally and aftermarket interior mounted unit, I have converted it for outside mounting, which allows the windshield to be opened to full range for max air flow. The draw back is the addition of a header mounted switch to operate the wiper motor. It is a heavy duty switch and fused with a twenty amp to protect the circuit. It has isolaters (mounts) and runs very quietly. If you are interested I can PM you some pictures of how I did it, but with imagination anyone can convert these realativley cheap motors to give your A or AA "automatic wipers".
Some guys are snickering ans saying just treat it with RainEx which is fine but I still need to pass tech to get her certified and that requires a working wiper motor. I just thought for the cost of a Vacuum wiper as compared to a couple hours work this would be more reliable.
It's my truck and will sport my solutions!
Cheers!
farmerden
Posts: 49
Joined: October 23rd, 2009, 9:26 pm
Body Type: AAC
Model Year: 1928

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by farmerden »

Odd! I thought that if your car was equipped with original equipment [hand wiper] then that would pass. I just read of a hot rodder in BC having to have a heater/defroster in his 31 What gives with these inspectors?? :x Den
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Chris Haynes »

farmerden wrote:Odd! I thought that if your car was equipped with original equipment [hand wiper] then that would pass. I just read of a hot rodder in BC having to have a heater/defroster in his 31 What gives with these inspectors?? :x Den

AA's are commercial vehicles and have to conform to commercial standards. Age is no excuese for commercial vehicles. They must be upgraded. CA is now requiring all diesel trucks that do not have clean air engines to upgrade to them or remove them from CA.
SHELBY MESSER
Posts: 752
Joined: March 9th, 2009, 8:06 pm
Body Type: 75-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by SHELBY MESSER »

A hot rod is no long an antique when the newer-hi-out put engines are installed :?
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Chris Haynes »

SHELBY MESSER wrote:A hot rod is no long an antique when the newer-hi-out put engines are installed :?
It all depends on whether it has an original title or a special construction title. If you have a title for your Model A and decide to put Chevy V8 running gear in it the DMV doesn't know or care. The car is the year of the car not the year of the engine.
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rollingsculpture
Posts: 553
Joined: December 9th, 2008, 7:30 am
Body Type: platform
Model Year: 1931
Location: Takoma Park maryland

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by rollingsculpture »

Chris Haynes wrote:
farmerden wrote:Odd! I thought that if your car was equipped with original equipment [hand wiper] then that would pass. I just read of a hot rodder in BC having to have a heater/defroster in his 31 What gives with these inspectors?? :x Den

AA's are commercial vehicles and have to conform to commercial standards. Age is no excuese for commercial vehicles. They must be upgraded. CA is now requiring all diesel trucks that do not have clean air engines to upgrade to them or remove them from CA.
while true a AA is a commercial vehicle why not just have it titled as a regular model A thus avoiding the commercial issues . in md they havent a clue about the diff btwn an A or a AA.
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Chris Haynes »

rollingsculpture wrote:
Chris Haynes wrote:
farmerden wrote:Odd! I thought that if your car was equipped with original equipment [hand wiper] then that would pass. I just read of a hot rodder in BC having to have a heater/defroster in his 31 What gives with these inspectors?? :x Den

AA's are commercial vehicles and have to conform to commercial standards. Age is no excuese for commercial vehicles. They must be upgraded. CA is now requiring all diesel trucks that do not have clean air engines to upgrade to them or remove them from CA.
while true a AA is a commercial vehicle why not just have it titled as a regular model A thus avoiding the commercial issues . in md they havent a clue about the diff btwn an A or a AA.

In CA you can register pre '41 trucks as not commercial. But you can't carry anything in the bed.
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Farrell In Vancouver
Posts: 314
Joined: February 23rd, 2011, 6:52 am
Body Type: Deck
Model Year: 1931
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Farrell In Vancouver »

farmerden wrote:Odd! I thought that if your car was equipped with original equipment [hand wiper] then that would pass. I just read of a hot rodder in BC having to have a heater/defroster in his 31 What gives with these inspectors?? :x Den
I agree with you Den, but in my case the truck came with a vacuum wiper. I can get one but it was still cheaper to go the way I have and I will not have a wiper that slows down when I need it the most (at speed).
As for Inspectors, they are alot like guys whom judge cars. Everyones interpretation is different. Most are authorized by the provincial Insurance company to do the vehicle safety inspections. You can get a list of the shops with ticketed mechanics for this when getting your vehicle ready. They prepare a check list of all requirements for a fee and pass/fail the vehicle and let the Ins. company know how you faired. (Most have never seen mech. brakes or six volt systems?!)Once you've passed, its back to the mother corp to arrange everything else, (reggy, assigned V.I.N. and then your designation as Vintage, collector, or regular insurance) and possibly agreed value.
J0eitall
Posts: 58
Joined: August 22nd, 2012, 2:05 am
Body Type: Rack
Model Year: 1930
Location: New Jersey

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by J0eitall »

Hey guys I have my inspection licence in New York and I even have hard times sometimes with other inspectors that they don't know what's right or wrong with the older cars. But for every state DMV you can look up inspection regulations it's a handbook that's in PDF format that states the guidelines for whats allowed . For New York if you have a mechinical wiper and it works then it passes because it was origional equiptment at the time the vehicle was produce. But read up on your state I they give you a problem and bring the booklet with you . Hope it helps.
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Chris Haynes »

Getting back to my original question. Is their a automatic wiper that can be used on a '29 without butchery?
Bladehorse
Posts: 112
Joined: November 9th, 2009, 9:22 pm
Body Type: 185-A
Model Year: 1930

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by Bladehorse »

@ Farmerden Regarding the 31 defroster.. He just needed to open the windshield about 1/2" This blows the air straight up the windshield. I have driven many miles with the front open like this, and it works perfectly as intended.. Not that this would matter to the ref. :x

And for all matters regarding the AA I would Not register it as commercial. THere is no point to it, and gives the state weight fees at your expense. I heard that as long as it is not for hire there is no issues with this below the date cutoff. And can still haul things.
On that note I still am unsure as to where to place my tags on my 82 gmc (Its a 1 ton with a gross weight rating of 11000#)
According to the VC it says they should be on the front for over 10000# Gross, Dmv reg tag says rear, the dmv officer says talk to chp, and chp says Ill be subject to inspections and scales if it is on the front. SO they are Naturally on the rear! Soo many grey areas!
I have 2 AAs one is reg as commercial,As I purchased it from Ingersoll-Rand, and the other is non, as it was a new reg from being out of the system for 30 years.
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spectria
Posts: 1874
Joined: May 15th, 2008, 9:53 pm
Body Type: Mail Truck, Stakebed
Model Year: 1931
Location: Quincy, Ca.

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by spectria »

Chris Haynes wrote:Getting back to my original question. Is their a automatic wiper that can be used on a '29 without butchery?
I also wonder about this and later as well.
Dave in Quincy, Ca. I love Pics!!!! Post them All!!! :)
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farmerden
Posts: 49
Joined: October 23rd, 2009, 9:26 pm
Body Type: AAC
Model Year: 1928

Re: Automatic wipers

Post by farmerden »

Years and years ago I used a marine wiper moter in my Model A tudor .Because the blade was hinged I could still open the windshield. The wiper motor was installed inside on the header above the window. However I had upgraded to 12 volts so the boat wiper was 12 volts as well and it was chrome!
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