Re: Brian's 1956 Packard Clipper

Posted by Ross On 2019/5/30 6:11:24

Silence, infinitely variable speed, variable stroke, and parking outside of the normal sweep area are all advantages of vacuum wipers. Before the advent of inexpensive solid state timers vacuum also allowed the washer coordinator. With a vac motor rebuild by Ficken they have worked swell on all my cars. Just because we don't understand the reasons for things doesn't mean the choice was capricious.

I would point out that the concurrent Cadillac also had vacuum wipers and even the same oil pump-driven vacuum pump. Am not aware if they had oil pump problems but have never heard of any. Am pretty well convinced Packard's problems originated elsewhere in the pump. If anything the additional torque load of the vac pump translated into increased lateral load on the input shaft.

Just for the record, the plate between the vac and oil sections was steel.