By Ron Ceridono – Images by the Author & Rob Fortier
If you drive your classic truck regularly chances are Mother Nature is going to open the skies when you least expect it and you’re going to get rained on. That’s when you can fully appreciate an effective windshield wiper system like those available from Bob and Linda Galbraith’s New Port Engineering.
When we first met the Galbraiths their fledging company was offering direct-fit electric windshield wiper kits for three vehicles: 1939, 1941, and 1948 Chevy passenger cars. From that modest beginning, New Port Engineering now offers over 180 car and light truck Clean Wipe Wiper Drive systems that are true bolt-in replacements for original equipment vacuum or electric windshield wiper motors. Each model of the Clean Wipe Wiper system is designed for the specific year and model of car or truck. All have been developed in-house and are built with components that are laser cut, CNC machined, and TIG welded in jigs and fixtures to ensure accuracy and consistent fitment.
The advantage to converting from vacuum to electric wipers is easily understood by anyone who has driven a car or truck with vacuum wipers in the rain. It often required a special driving technique we learned driving our Ford pickup. When the engine was working hard, such as climbing a grade, the vacuum would drop and the wipers would slow or stop completely. But by letting up on the gas momentarily, the wipers would work long enough to get a glimpse of the road ahead, then it was back on the throttle only to repeat the process again when visibility deteriorated. Of course going downhill there was lots of vacuum, so the wipers would often work so rapidly that the wiper arms and/or blades would occasionally fly off (for some reason it was always the one on the driver side).
Installing New Port Engineering’s Clean Wipe systems couldn’t be easier, as they are designed to be true bolt-in replacements without any modifications to the vehicle. The new motor mounts in the stock location using the original brackets and the stock linkage and wiper arm pivots are retained. Electrical connections consist of a power wire from the switch connected to a 12V accessory circuit with a six-amp fuse or circuit breaker and a ground from the motor to the chassis. A good ground is necessary for proper operation of the motor, so the included wire must be attached to bare metal for a solid connection. New Port’s wiper motors have two speeds and return to the Park position when the switch is returned to the off position.
The two installations we’re showing here are different in that one is a 1955 Ford and the other is a 1948 Chevy. What they had in common is both needed updated wipers. From the factory, 1953-55 Ford pickups could be equipped with vacuum wipers (as ours came with) or optional electrics while Chevy and GMC trucks from 1947-53 were all equipped with vacuum wipers. Of course, since we can’t seem to leave anything alone, both trucks have had unique modifications. The Ford has been fitted with a 1957 Ford passenger car dashboard and the Chevy has a chopped top, however neither modification changed the wiper system installation to any great degree. The Ford required the addition of a support bracket due to the dashboard swap and the Chevy needed shortened wiper arms and blades.
Windshield wipers aren’t often thought about until they’re needed and when you need them there’s no real good substitute. When you get caught in the rain, good electric windshield wipers on a classic truck make it safer to drive when Mother Nature turns on the water works, and once you have them, you’ll wonder how you got along without them. As the folks at New Port Engineering say, “Don’t let a little rain keep your hot rod in the garage, drive through it, not around it.”
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
Source
New Port Engineering
(800) 829-1929
newportwipers.com
