| BRL | -- 10-24-2021 @ 9:25 AM |
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Hi: I have just purchased a 37 Phaeton and the windshield wipers dont work and there is no info or history of why they dont work. As a first time owner of a antique car with vacuum wipers, I request help on troubleshooting and how to get them working. I am not interested in modifying them, I want to keep the car original regardless of how effective they work. I am a shade tree mechanic and like to work on these kinds of things myself. I have no literature (service manuals, etc) and would like some suggestions of what is good literature to have for repairing and maintaining this model car. Thanks, BRL
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| TomO | -- 10-24-2021 @ 10:08 AM |
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If the vacuum hose is connected and you hear a hissing sound, you will probably have to have the wiper motor rebuilt. Kent Jaquith used to be the guy to go to, but he is retired. The person that took over his business can be contacted at: cleansweepwipers@gmail.com Tom
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| 3w2 | -- 10-24-2021 @ 11:42 AM |
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Alternatively, it might not be the motor, but a leaky rubber hose which if original is, after all, 84 years old. The biggest part of this job is accessing the wiper motor and disconnecting it from the linkage to the wiper arms as it tucked up well underneath the dash. If you conclude that the motor is the problem and not the hose or the connection between the hose and the intake manifold, once you remove the motor you should not just send it off for someone else to fix given your shadetree mechanic qualifications. Take the motor apart (carefully so as to permit reuse of the gasket between the top and bottom portions) and inspect the condition of the paddle on the motor shaft. If it appears to be reusable, the problem may be that the grease in the motor has dried out and the paddle was stuck as a result or possibly blisters have developed inside the die casting preventing the paddle edges from sealing as the swept area within the semicircular portion of the motor must be smooth and uniform for the motor to function. Wiper motor rebuild kits are available from some hobby suppliers.
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| 3w2 | -- 10-24-2021 @ 11:51 AM |
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As for must haves for servicing your '37, I recommend the following: a '37 owners manual, Ford's 1937 Service Bulletins, a chassis parts catalogue dated 1937 (anything published later will have less and less relevant information about your car), and while you are at it, a '37 body parts catalog and this Club's "1937 Ford Book" (which you can order via the left hand column on this website). The other literature items are either available in inexpensive reprint form from many dealers and those that haven't been reprinted such as the chassis and body parts catalogues show up regularly on ebay and Amazon with bargain prices.
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-24-2021 @ 12:10 PM |
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Ron Monte has NOS Trico rebuild kits if you need to go that way
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| BRL | -- 10-26-2021 @ 6:48 AM |
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Hi 3W2: Thanks for the info. If it does turn out to be dried up grease in the motor, can you advise what grease I should use to re-lubricate it? Regards, BRL
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| BRL | -- 10-26-2021 @ 6:51 AM |
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Hi 3W2: Thanks for advisement on the literature...I will see about buying all these. Regards, BRL
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| 3w2 | -- 10-26-2021 @ 9:34 AM |
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No doubt there exists some special grease , but I use Vaseline with excellent results.
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| 37RAGTOPMAN | -- 10-26-2021 @ 10:20 AM |
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37 WIPER PROBLMS the vacuumn motor is connected to 2 chrome wiper towers, they could be stiff or frozen it not used in years? I would first use a vacuum gauge, I would pull off the rubber hose on the wiper motor and see if you have vacuum their ! if not check the fitting on the intake, take a vacuum reading their, should be around 20 with motor running, CHECK the rubber hose for breaks and for being clogged, flat in spots, or IF is it brittle, RELACE IT you can disconnect the linkage and see if the 2 tower are free, if frozen, you canrevove and soak in rust solvent and see if you can get them to move, 1937 to 1940 use the same wiper motor, and wiper linkage,. if you have to have it repaired or a NOS ONE, OPEN CARS ONLY which includes STATION WAGONS, you can aways put a ad on wanted on this web site, Hope this helps 37Ragtopman ,Maine
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| Steve Kennedy | -- 10-27-2021 @ 4:40 AM |
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How does one get ahold of Ron Monte?
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-27-2021 @ 6:13 AM |
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Ron’s company is called Triple Chrome Plating and is in Caldwell NJ
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-27-2021 @ 6:16 AM |
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Also, I recall buying gasket sets for Trico from one of the vintage Dodge suppliers. Will check my records.
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| BRL | -- 10-27-2021 @ 6:18 AM |
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Hi 37Ragtopman: Thanks for all the advice! Yes, although this car has been well protected from the environment and is cosmetically in excellent condition, some of the mechanical controls have not been exercised...the previous owner has told me it never was driven in the rain and the wipers never used...so from your response and others, the problem is most likely corrosion somewhere or rubber perishing somewhere, or both. Although I dont have any service books, your responses has given me all the info I need to understand how it is configured and works...I will start digging into it this weekend and let you guys know what I find out. Regards, BRL
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-27-2021 @ 6:33 AM |
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Vic’s Dodge Garage Vic@vicsdodgegarage.com Ron Monte Ron@ronmonte.com
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-27-2021 @ 7:04 AM |
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Btw, I never intentionally drive any of my vintage cars in the rain and know from experience that, when caught out, the wipers are not really effective in comparison to today’s (I am being generous). Making them operable is part of the repair / restoration process and must be viewed as its own reward lest you ever be tempted to test the system in actual rain.
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-27-2021 @ 7:05 AM |
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My ‘36 Phaeton
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| JayChicago | -- 10-27-2021 @ 11:52 AM |
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When I got my car the wipers would not move. Car had been rarely driven for decades. I got under the dash and removed the linkage from the motor. With a little lube the linkage seemed fine. But the motor would not move even with good vacuum applied. On advise from TomO and others on this forum, pulled the motor, dropped a few drops of light oil into the motor and gently forced it thru it's movement to free-up and lube the internals. Wipers have worked just fine ever since. There was easy access on my car. No radio. If your car has a radio, access to the wiper motor may be blocked by the radio.
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| BRL | -- 10-28-2021 @ 8:57 AM |
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Hi Jacques1960: Yes, I have understood from others that the windshield wipers are ineffective compared to todays standards. I have also heard that the side curtains are hard to see through when it is raining. I have no intention of driving this car in any rain or cold weather. Other than making everything correct and working on this car, my motivation to getting the wipers to work are to pass my state's safety inspection to classify the car as a "classic" so I can drive it any time and anywhere I want. Right now, the car is classified as an "antique" and no safety inspection is required, but I am very limited as to where/when I can drive it legally. Regards, BRL PS: your Phaeton looks great; good color for this model!
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-28-2021 @ 3:00 PM |
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Good motoring !
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| Robert/Texas | -- 10-31-2021 @ 7:00 AM |
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About 20 years ago I installed an NORS windshield wiper on my '34 roadster. It worked for about a year and then stopped working. Someone suggested that I spray some penetrating oil into the inlet. That worked then and still does.
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| Jacques1960 | -- 10-31-2021 @ 10:10 AM |
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One question I have is whether replacement paper Trico gaskets should be installed dry or lightly oiled?
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| BRL | -- 07-13-2023 @ 10:40 AM |
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Hi Guys: I have finally got around to looking at my wiper motor now that my radio is out of the car. Inspection under the dash indicates the motor control rod was not connected to the dash switch...and the little rubber grommet was not to be found. So I removed the entire wiper assemblies and tested the motor by sucking on the vacuum barb connection and the motor seems to work fine as does the control rod mechanism. All the linkages and arm towers seem to work freely so I am in the process of ordering new tower gaskets, correct attachment hardware, wiper blades, vacuum hose, and intake manifold vacuum pipe/nut. The one question I have for 1937 model guys is: where should the vacuum hose go through the firewall? In literature I have, the vacuum hose shares the firewall hole with the dash harness and oil temp sender pipe...on my car I have a second hole where the vacuum hose and oil temp sender pipe pass through...see attached photo. Was this hole added by a previous owner?
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| zeke3 | -- 07-13-2023 @ 6:09 PM |
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I have experience with two 1937 Ford closed car dash panels, (aka firewalls), and have not seen the extra hole shown in your photo on either. I think it has been added.
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| BRL | -- 07-14-2023 @ 8:59 AM |
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Hi Zeke3: Thanks for the comment. Yeah, I dont think the hole is supposed to be there after looking at a couple of old photos of 1937 open cars. I have ordered Eastwood's "No-Weld Hole Repair Kit" to fill it and route the hoses and wires through that oblong hole in center of firewall. I am putting in a new dash harness, wiper vacuum hose and firewall pad so this is the time to make the fix.
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