Quote:
Jim L. in OR wrote:
The '64 Rambler had vacuum wipers? I used to have a black 770 2dr hdtp and the wipers were excellent for the entire 4 years I owned it (1966-70). They worked so well I always assumed they were electric.
The wipers on my '55 Packard work very well after I installed a new vacuum motor from Max Merritt. Even if I stand on the GO pedal, the wipers never completely stop and this is on a car WITHOUT the vacuum pump. This summer, I found and installed a small vacuum tank with check valve inot the wiper line - attaching the tank to the front of the heater box so I could use those screws to and not have to drill any holes. After the tank was installed, the wipers could be mistaken for an electric. No slow downs what so ever.
I don't know exactly what year Rambler started offering electric wipers as an option, but electrics were not standard until 72.
Ours was a Classic 660 sedan with a 6 and three on the tree.
If electrics had been available in 64, my mom probably would have bought them. I remember how she freaked that the wipers were vacuum as, iirc, our 56 Studebaker had electrics. That was what prompted the salesman to assure her they would not stop entirely. They did act like vacuums as they would slow when pulling a long hill, and speed up standing at a traffic light, but never stopped.
My Aunt's 70 Ambassador had vacuum wipers too. Top of the line model, air conditioning was standard, but vacuum wipers. By then, electrics were optional, but as her 65 Plymouth and 61 Chevy both had electrics, it never occurred to her that a new car in 1970 would not have electrics. Once she got past the initial shock, I don't recall her ever griping about their performance though.
Good idea about the vacuum tank. One wonders why Packard didn't go that route. Seems it would have been cheaper than putting the vac pump on the oil pump, and without the vac pump piggybacked, maybe they would have designed an oil pump that worked better. My 67 Thunderbird had headlight doors and a breakaway steering column that were both vacuum powered, and about three vacuum tanks the size of coffee cans under the hood to power all this when the engine was off.
This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=155136