converting from vacuum to electric wipers?

Depends on what you are putting it on. I have a '58 Edsel Ranger (same setup as a '57 Ford & I believe a '58), a '55, '56, or '57 Chevy electric wiper motor bolts right in the place of the vacuum Ford unit; no mods required. The cable that operated the vacuum motor attaches right to the Chevy unit in tne same place. This is provided the existing Ford/Edsel vacuum motor attaches to the engine side of the firewall. For some reason some Ford units are inside under the dash. You will need a power wire from the ignition switch.
 
I recommend the wiper conversion kit from New Port Engineering. His units bolt right to the old mount, has all the wires necessary and you can use your stock switch with their conversion unit. They even have a interval option.

I have their unit on three cars and they all work good.
 
Knowing what the 55-57 Chevys sell for and their present value it's highly unlikely you'll find one in your local wrecking yard.
 
What Jeff said! I have a 57 Chevy motor on mine & picked it up "reasonable" a few years ago. The price of them now you can go with the conversion kit & have all new stuff.
 
The New Port engineering unit is available for a bit more money, but that was not the question that he asked. The down side is that 1. the new unit looks a bit out of place under the hood if you are trying to stay old school and 2. You will have to replace the cable operated swich on the dash with an electrical one. This also may look a bit odd unless you can adapt the existing knob.

I recently saw several Chevy units for sale at the Daytona Turkey Rod Run and Zephyr Hills which indicates that there are plenty around if you look. Even the ones that had been rebuilt werer a little cheaper than the new ones.
 
Wrong on the switch. The New Port unit has an adapter that so you can use your original switch (as I said above) so it looks ok. I am using the original switch on both my 54 Ford and 56 Bird with Newport wipers.

Do you mean to tell me a 57 XXX with look stock on a Ford?? With the wires??

Motorhead6 said:
The New Port engineering unit is available for a bit more money, but that was not the question that he asked.

2. You will have to replace the cable operated swich on the dash with an electrical one. This also may look a bit odd unless you can adapt the existing knob.
I
Click to expand...
 
paul2748 said:
Wrong on the switch. The New Port unit has an adapter that so you can use your original switch (as I said above) so it looks ok. I am using the original switch on both my 54 Ford and 56 Bird with Newport wipers.

Do you mean to tell me a 57 XXX with look stock on a Ford?? With the wires??
Click to expand...

No matter what electric windshield wiper motor one uses, a wire will go to it. If that is a problem, it can be routed inside the dash or under the cowl seam along with the other wires that cross there. I didn't say it is stock (although 90% of onlookers would never notice it). I said it looks old school and does not jump out at you that it is not original as would a new W/W motor. It only applies if it makes a difference to whom ever uses it. Obviously you don't mind about that and that is great. Again, the original question was will the triple 5 Chevy work on a Ford; that is my answer. Thanks for the correction on the switch. I used the Newport unit on my '51 under the dash and out of sight. I used the Newport switch with my original knob, but had to modify the mounting point on the dash. Not a big deal, but it wasn't exactly a bolt on deal.

By the way, that Newport unit inside my car is very noisy. I wish there was a way to put it outside the firewall but that wouldn't look right either.
 
I think Ford started using a 12 volt electric wiper motor in '57, I've read that they are a bolt in for the '55 and '56 Fords. I have one the shelf that I plan to try on my '55 when I get a chance.

LOWRIDER says he is running a '57 Chevy wiper motor on his car.

Here a few Ebay pictures of the '57 wiper motors,

'57 Chevy on the left and '57 Ford on the right.
 

Attachments

  • 57 chevy.jpg
    57 chevy.jpg
    42.4 KB · Views: 28
  • 57 Ford wiper motor.jpg
    57 Ford wiper motor.jpg
    36.5 KB · Views: 27
Last edited:
I put a 60 Ford motor on my 57 Ranchwagon. Only mod needed was bushings in the mounting holes and adding a power wire. On/off cable hooked up and worked perfect.
 
I have the Newport unit on my '59 and it looks great. I had to buy the shaft extension. I also bought a new air vent knob and used that instead of the knob that came with it.
 
In 1953 Ford used electric wipers on the F100 trucks. Since this should be a 6 volt motor. I was thinking of using this to convert the wipers on my 53 Merc. Has anyone on the Ford Barn done this and how big of a project was it, since it is all under the dash? Mine work but there is still the uphill issue during the rain.
 

Attachments

  • 1953 wiper motor.jpg
    1953 wiper motor.jpg
    49.8 KB · Views: 15
I've used the newport system on both my 55 merc wagon with the ext. shaft and intermittent option and my 64 ranchero you get everything you need plug and play and its all new unless you like hanging upside down working in tight spaces I recommend spending the extra $'s and do the job once
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top