Just joined 'cause just bought a '54 Ford. Now I need help. Need to replace the windshield wiper motor, but it appears the wiper cowl cover is 1 piece that wraps around the entire windshield. Does this mean I have to remove the windshield to remove the cowl to gain access to the wiper motor?
I replaced the wiper motor in my '54 Ranch Wagon with a 2 speed unit from Newport Engineering. Straight forward bolt in from under the dash. I did have the radio and speaker out which made things easier but it can be done with them installed. https://newportwipers.com/ Also check out the 52--59 social group here on the HAMB. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/social-forums/1952-59-ford-social-group.282/ When it comes to parts Shoe Box Central in OK is a good source https://shoebox-central.com/ And so is Concours Auto Parts in Carson City NV. https://concoursparts.com/
Are you aware that the original windshield wiper motor is vacuum operated? There are several company's that make electric wiper motors that replace the current factory wiper. HRP
yeah I know the original motor is a vacuum unit and not sure what I will replace it with just yet, thanks for the tip that there is an elect that can replace it, but before i get to that stage I need to be able to get to it to remove. From 51054bat 's comment seems like you can work it from below the dash. I'll give that a try, Thanks for the input.
@Ima you might want to add your location to your profile. Doesn't have to be your exact city but at least a general area. That way if you need something or help of some kind there might be a fellow HAMB'r close by ready to assist. And if you haven't already done so, an intro its always a good idea. See the forum rules: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-h-a-m-b-rules-guidelines.44274/ And welcome aboard.
Yeah, it can be accessed from below the dash. If you have the factory AM radio in there it can be a pain to get to.
this actually was in the intro section, I moved it here and edited the title so he could get help with his wiper motor....
The cowl piece doesn't come off, it's fully welded in at the factory, so as others have said, you have to do it from under the dash. But it's not too bad to deal with from underneath, I have a couple of these cars.
You need to remove the radio which gives you a lot more room. Also the clip that holds the linkage on is fairly unique. It has two clips that hold the linkage on and they are connected by a spring. You have to move the clip to the outside to get it out of the grove in the post. Get one side off and the other comes off easily. As others have said, if you are going to electric wipers, Newport Engineering makes the best setup. There stuff isn't cheap, but it is far better that the less expensive kits. It is worth the money.
The above info about access under the dash is right on. I took my vacuum wiper motor out, cleaned everything well, soaked the leather internal seal in Neatsfoot Oil and reassembled it. It worked great, very strong for vacuum wipers. The New Port Engineering electric wiper motor conversion is great, I used one on my ‘55 F100, but the original Ford unit did a pretty good job in my old Ranch Wagon. I’m sure it would have stopped while accelerating hard or going uphill but in normal SoCal driving it was fine. Might be worth a try.
If the OP wants to stay with a vacuum unit and his is toast I have the one I removed for the Newport unit. It might not be any better than the original unit but its an option if needed for the cost of mailing.
Usually the original vacuum un it doesn't work properly, it is a simple piece to rebuild, the paddle is generally stuck due to the grease congealing, take the unit apart and clean it, make a new cork gasket and seal the lid and gasket with grease, make sure you replace the vacuum hose and be prepared to experience the idiosyncrasies of giving the car gas and watching the wipers stop in mid swing, let off the gas and they fly. HRP
BTW, with you being new here you are probably unaware of the 52-59 Social Group, a lot of guys with '52-'54 Fords check in often, it's a good source of information for these specific years. HRP How to join social groups 1952-59 Ford Social Group
Thanks for all the tips guys. Haven't gotten around to pull the motor yet, so I may be able to save it and keep the original (which i prefer) . I'll post once I get it working to help anyone else with the same issue. BTW it's still a 6 volt sys so an electric replacement may not be avail? right?
There are 6V aftermarket wiper motors available but they're pretty much for pre-war cars and not suitable for your use. IIRC, Chrysler used 6V wiper motors in some of their early '50s cars but those won't be a bolt-in solution, plus the difficulty of finding one that still works. Where you live will determine how much or little you like the vacuum wipers. Got any long hills to climb where you live? Having them stop dead going up the hill is common, and flap madly going down... If you live where it's relatively flat, they'll be 'OK'. There are things you can do to get the most out of the vacuum wipers besides renewing the motor. The better OEM set-ups usually included a dual-diaphragm fuel pump, with the second one producing some vacuum under load. These dual pumps tended to disappear over time when replaced, making sure it's present will help. Another thing you can do is add a vacuum canister to 'store' vacuum. Install it between the pump and the vacuum motor, and a one-way check valve installed between the pump and the vacuum canister will also help. Make sure there's no leaks in the hoses. And as these wipers are powered by engine vacuum, having the motor in excellent tune (producing the highest manifold vacuum possible) will also help. A poor tune or tired motor will negatively affect the wiper performance. One last thing. Get a factory service manual for your car, it will save you a lot of time when servicing these obsolete systems.
You don’t say your age; I changed my 56 to Newport’s at 75 years old. A milk crate out side the door and a movers pad helps. Anytime I’m going under the dash I remove the 4 bolts holding the seat and move it back to rest against the rear seat for the room. I also took out the glove box. Any time your upgrading put wipers high on the list once you upgrade to a better radio or AC every thing will be in the way.
Hey jimmy I'm same age as you were when you did this 75, so hopefully I agile enough to do it too. Tried to release the 4 bolts on the seat but of coarse with 68 years of rust on the nuts they won't budge. Gonna try to loosen them with PB blastr and a breaker bar if necessary, if that don't work may have to try to cut off the studs. Any additional advise will be appreciated.
Take some pictures of whatever you do and post it on here to help future Ford buyers. While fixing the wiper may work for a while, you will probably be happier with your car in the long run if you convert everything to 12 Volts. Be advised that the old Ford 6volts were "positive" ground instead of the now universal(?) 12 volt "negative" ground. There is an old book called "The Resurection of a Vicky" which deals with 55/56 Fords. They were similar to a 54 in many ways and it may be helpful to you if you can find a used one. I'd drive and enjoy the car for a while and then decide what direction you want to go with it, but converting to 12 volts helps a lot of things.
Not sure on a 54-55 but following the instructions for installing the 56 wasted over an hour trying to follow them. After that hour of trying to put 2 machine screws from the bottom in to the factory threaded bracket that held the stock one, I went to my screw stash, got out 2 longer ones and 2 nuts, installed the screws from the top with my fingers, they acted now as studs, held up the unit and put the nuts on in less than a minute and was done installing the motor unit. The rest was easy. I wrote them a letter but don’t know if anything became of but I’ve shared it with many Ford groups.
I used Rain-X back in the days when I drove 45,000 miles a year throughout the Midwest. (16 years) It should help with any wiper system you choose.
"...There is an old book called "The Resurection of a Vicky" which deals with 55/56 Fords. They were similar to a 54 in many ways and it may be helpful to you if you can find a used one." Believe it or not the book Resurrection of Vicky is for sale on EBAY. Just ordered it. Thanks for the tip Ekim
As a kid, if a bolt/nut was stuck I put a wrench to it. If it didn’t budge, I got a bigger wrench, and so on until I sheared it off. As an old retired guy, I wire brush the rust off the best I can, apply PB Blaster or the ATF/acetone mixture, find a good fitting wrench (preferably 6 pt) and try to wiggle it both ways, apply more juice and go get a cup of coffee or do something else. Come back later and wiggle it some more. 90% of the time they come loose with juice and patience and I don’t have to drill out and tap the remains. Of course, I’ve probably never seen rust like you guys see back east, but I’ve seen some serious rust. Good luck.
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