Posted by Paul Cook on August 05, 1999 at 10:31:12:
In Reply to: Wiper Motor posted by Charlie Smith on August 03, 1999 at 17:19:46:
The electric wiper is authentic. It was part of the Deluxe Cab option, along with vent wings, sun visors, and an arm rest on '39 - '47 Dodge pick ups. Those cabs were identical to Power Wagon cabs except for having a shorter "skirt" below the door sill level. The Deluxe Cab was optional on '46 - '48 Power Wagons and, since my parts book lists the electric wiper in addition to the vacuum for all WDX's, I tend to believe that the electric wiper was part of the Power Wagon Deluxe Cab option. In 1949, the Deluxe Cab came on all pick-up and full cab models. My references do not show if electric wipers continued to be standard with the Deluxe Cab. Several of my later Power Wagons had the Deluxe Cab with vacuum wipers so I would guess Dodge went to vacuum wipers across the board to save money. The electric wipers are listed as a package while the vacuum wipers are listed by component. This prompts me to believe that electric wipers were marketed as a separate option - at last from 1949.
1955 was the first year the windshield washer option was available. That was my Senior year in High School and I was chasing girls and never looked to see if electric wipers came with the washer option. Sorry! (Now, not then!)
The MoPar part number for the WIPER PACKAGE (electric) is 921 246. The electric wiper installation has no parts in common with the vacuum installation. The mounting mounting spacers, wiper arms, and even the exit holes in the cab are different.
When I converted my '47 WDX from 6v to 12v in 1996, I bought American Bosch 12v wiper motors from VPW. The original 6v (They still work) motors had a bracket that aligned them with the cab. The brackets were steel and attached to the soft "pot metal" wiper housings by a process somewhere between welding and riveting. I had to pry the brackets off and use them with the 12v motors. The motors from VPW came with washers and shims to help with installing the motors at the right angle with the cab. Close, but no cigar. I believe that you can machine a replacement for the internal brackets from a block of nylon or even plexiglass. Thank goodness I have more of the exterior spacers that match the cab roof contour for aligning the motor shafts - not for sale. Because of the total difference between vacuum and electric installations, I believe that you may be ahead to stay with vacuum wipers and use a lot of "Rain-X" or other windshiels treatments.