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Nice find and price on the wiper motor. Just FYI, with age and heat the plastic gets very brittle and breaks easily--at the worst time where the cable attaches. Wouldn't be a bad idea to replace that one as it looks pretty yellowed.danchuk.com/ItemForm.aspx?Search=211a&Item=211a

Wow!

You really made fast work of the wiper motor project. I am glad it worked out so well. Now I will have to get motivated on my wiper set up from today.

Long drive home, but had a fun time with everyone.

Jim

Jim,

As always, it was a pleasure to see you and walk the meet with you, your wife and brother and of course David (Flackmaster).

I am glad you made it back to Phoenix without incident. I need to get out to Phoenix some point soon. Also I will look into perhaps making it to the Salado meet per David's suggestion.

Hopefully your wiper setup will go on just as easy! Thanks for encouraging me to buy that Tri-Five motor. It did work great after some minor adjustments!

Kev,

We had a fun time talking Packard's with you and the gang. David really makes the trip an enjoyable adventure. I tell ya, it does bother me that in the time it took us to get home you restored and installed your wiper motor. That somehow does not seem right.

It would have taken most of us that amount of time to just post and debate with one another on how to do this. At this rate, you will finish your car in no time. Looks like I better turn this thing off and get out there and start working on my acquisitions of the day.

Let us know when you head out to phoenix and we will work Packard time in.

Jim

Quote:

THANKS KEV!

I presume much of this pertains to 55-56 as well, and it's a mod I definitely intend to do (when I get one). Instructions and pics like these should, I think, be put in a permanent thread like the FAQ one, called Technical Tips or somesuch.

Thanks again.

I'm a bit surprised at the desire to convert to electric wipers; with a properly maintained/rebuilt vacuum wiper motor and booster pump the original system gives excellent results, only imperceptibly slowing down even on heavy throttle. Plus the stepless variable speed range and automatic intergration with the washers as added attractions. Not to mention no degrading of authenticity.

Not to mention the fact that electric wipers work with the engine off. Oh, and they just WORK. All the old timers I know around here say "those old vacuum wipers weren't worth a $hit when they were new". And they're still not. Packard had electric wipers before the war, why did they go back to vacuum? Chrysler didn't.

I've turned over a new leaf, never enter into a discussion with Eric.

Well for it was spending $40 for electric wipers, which I can convert back in about 10 mins with a single flathead screwdriver, vs spending $125 to have my vacuum motor rebuilt. So at this time it was economics that won out.

The neat thing about this is that besides the small little bend in the firewall lip that is required on the 51-54s (which is hidden by either wiper motor), both motors are interchangeable.

As my car is a 12v conversion, the electric motor simply takes its power off of the ignition switch side of the firewall mounted ballast resistor (this is how they are hooked up on Tri-Five Chevies). So no additional splicing into the harness is required. I would imagine that 55-56 owners could do the same thing even easier as there cars are already 12v with a ballast resistor, plus the firewall lip doesn't interfere.

You could switch this back to vacuum motor at a car show in the morning if someone wanted to maintain the original look and feel.

My car is really not destined to ever be a Show Car ever. My car was on it's way to the crusher before I rescued it as folks said it was to gone to restore (economically speaking). So another Packard back on the road with a few "driver status" changes, versus just another crushed car.

I dont have any problem with people making easily reversible modifications to their cars that are "drivers" if that is what they think they need to do. Just as long at they don't evangelize these modifications as the "2nd coming" and put down anyone that indeed wants to maintain their cars as close to original as possible. There's a place for everyone, and it all about mutual respect.

To sum it up, it just another option that is available for folks that perhaps are unhappy with there vacuum motor, or need something to get them by until they can get the vacuum motor rebuilt.