[DeTomaso] Wiper System Upgrade?

Julian Kift julian_kift at hotmail.com
Sat Sep 1 22:00:50 EDT 2018


I'm going on the PNW Fall Cruise this coming week and having lived in Reno with the GT5 for 11 years I have never had call to have a functional windshield wiper system. In Monterey a week ago the morning fog was a nuisance, just enough to wet the windshield, not enough to run off. That is exactly what I imagine I might be up against on the Pacific Northwest coast, light rain or drizzle, so this afternoon I buckled down to getting the wiper system working more for a safety factor (and to pacify my wife who is coming along).



Of course turning the wiper switch on led to a dismal nothing, but what else was I to expect after such time. I checked and there was power at the wiper motor junction block, this is great news, as I hate tracking wiring problems and I don't have a lot of time before hitting the road Thursday! I removed the motor and dismantled it to find the armature winding completely rusted to the magnets. I half expected to have to go dig out the motor from my '74 which in itself has been actually sitting unused longer than I’ve had the GT5, albeit on jack stands in a garage. I once questioned how Mike Drew could have let his car sit for 17 years, and here I am finding it is quite easy!



So I started cleaning everything up, the brush springs were so rusted they disintegrated upon touch, one dismantled pen spring later and they are all good again. Reassembly with all new marine grease and I silicone sealed the motor housing as I don't have an under fender splash guard for protection. To my surprise the motor works, that is as well as any old Lucas 14W motor, it has the 2 speeds stuttering (maybe this is what they called intermittent wipers in the day!) and lethargic, I tell myself it will be better when there's water on the windshield!



So I'm as good as I’ll get for this trip, we have wipers, the wife will be happy.... but I got to thinking I haven't seen any discussion on a modern alternative to the Lucas system, has anyone retrofitted something that doesn't involve hacking up the grill and trunk? Or is a new Lucas 14W as good as it gets?


Julian
-------------- next part --------------
   I'm going on the PNW Fall Cruise this coming week and having lived in
   Reno with the GT5 for 11 years I have never had call to have
   a functional windshield wiper system. In Monterey a week ago the
   morning fog was a nuisance, just enough to wet the windshield, not
   enough to run off. That is exactly what I imagine I might be up against
   on the Pacific Northwest coast, light rain or drizzle, so this
   afternoon I buckled down to getting the wiper system working more for a
   safety factor (and to pacify my wife who is coming along).


   Of course turning the wiper switch on led to a dismal nothing, but what
   else was I to expect after such time. I checked and there was power at
   the wiper motor junction block, this is great news, as I hate tracking
   wiring problems and I don't have a lot of time before hitting the road
   Thursday! I removed the motor and dismantled it to find the armature
   winding completely rusted to the magnets. I half expected to have to go
   dig out the motor from my '74 which in itself has been actually sitting
   unused longer than I've had the GT5, albeit on jack stands in a garage.
   I once questioned how Mike Drew could have let his car sit for 17
   years, and here I am finding it is quite easy!


   So I started cleaning everything up, the brush springs were so rusted
   they disintegrated upon touch, one dismantled pen spring later and they
   are all good again. Reassembly with all new marine grease and I
   silicone sealed the motor housing as I don't have an under
   fender splash guard for protection. To my surprise the motor works,
   that is as well as any old Lucas 14W motor, it has the 2 speeds
   stuttering (maybe this is what they called intermittent wipers in the
   day!) and lethargic, I tell myself it will be better when there's water
   on the windshield!


   So I'm as good as I'll get for this trip, we have wipers, the wife will
   be happy.... but I got to thinking I haven't seen any discussion on a
   modern alternative to the Lucas system, has anyone retrofitted
   something that doesn't involve hacking up the grill and trunk? Or is
   a new Lucas 14W as good as it gets?

   Julian


More information about the DeTomaso mailing list