convert to electric wipers

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   Have a 1966 American with vacuum wipers, while they work mostly when needed they have a life of there own what with they come by themselves, have a varying speed etc. What I'd like to do is a simple swap to an electric wiper moter, a friend of mine said he remembers a swap to a Ford Escort motor, but thats all he remembers, need some help here.
Thanks

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paintfire Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jan/03/2008 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 65	Post Options Post Reply Quote paintfire Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: convert to electric wipers Posted: Jan/13/2008 at 9:27am
	Have a 1966 American with vacuum wipers, while they work mostly when needed they have a life of there own what with they come by themselves, have a varying speed etc. What I'd like to do is a simple swap to an electric wiper moter, a friend of mine said he remembers a swap to a Ford Escort motor, but thats all he remembers, need some help here. Thanks

kirkwood Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Charter Member Joined: Jun/28/2007 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Status: Offline Points: 6566	Post Options Post Reply Quote kirkwood Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan/13/2008 at 9:33am
	some info here: http://theamcforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=392&KW=electric+wipers
	AMO Newsletter Editor

KermitDRambler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/06/2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Status: Offline Points: 2579	Post Options Post Reply Quote KermitDRambler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan/14/2008 at 12:25pm
	If your wipers come on by themselves, you may just need a simple adjustment of the control cable. Loosen the clamp screw on the motor, make sure the control is in the full off position, move the valve on the motor (the cable attaches to it) to the full off position, tighten the clamp screw. Vacuum wipers do slow down some under engine load but if they slow down a lot, you have a vacuum problem. A worn engine can be a big culprit here but so can loose manifolds (if you have a rough hot idle, your manifolds are probably loose, see http://www.mattsoldcars.com/RestoreAmerican/loose_intake.shtml for the fix). There is a vacuum booster pump built into the fuel pump that wears out with age (the pump needs rebuilt of replaced to fix that). The seals and/or grease in the wiper motor may be damaged or hard from age (a shot of WD-40 will loosen things up for a time). The vacuum motor design was used for about 70 years so its no problem finding rebuilders and soft parts. You may also have a bad section of vacuum hose (make sure its connected to the port on the side of the wiper motor, not the bottom). I've been in some nasty rains (both city and highway driving) in both of my Americans and the vacuum wipers haven't posed any problems at all. Matt
	1967 American wagon http://www.mattsoldcars.com

kirkwood Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Charter Member Joined: Jun/28/2007 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Status: Offline Points: 6566	Post Options Post Reply Quote kirkwood Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan/14/2008 at 11:14pm
	Matt is correct - vacuum wipers work fine when they work. I drove a 70 Ambassador for a few nasty winters and had no problems with the vacuum wipers. The high compression 70 360 with four-wheel drum brakes was more of an irritant...
	AMO Newsletter Editor

paintfire Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jan/03/2008 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 65	Post Options Post Reply Quote paintfire Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan/15/2008 at 11:09am
	I really don't care for the vacuum wipers, and with my cam I doubt I'll be making enough vacuum anyway. I have Ford Escort and a Bronco wiper motors, and much to my surprise they both bolt right in. I slight bend in the arm was all I needed to do. Now I need to wire it up and find a switch. I'm not building a stock vehicle so I don't mind going with something else other than AMC. Had I been restoring the car I would have had the vacuum motor rebuilt and lived with it. I do thank everyone for there input.

hoosieramc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 1233	Post Options Post Reply Quote hoosieramc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan/20/2008 at 12:59am
	Can you post a few pictures of the Ford unit in place? I'd like more info on how this worked out.

paintfire Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jan/03/2008 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 65	Post Options Post Reply Quote paintfire Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan/20/2008 at 2:15am
	Currently I have no way to do that, and I have no idea how to post to this forum.

70MarkDonohue Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/09/2007 Location: Missouri Status: Offline Points: 1912	Post Options Post Reply Quote 70MarkDonohue Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan/25/2008 at 12:30pm
	I got vaccum wiper on my Donohue but don't have the cable hook up yet. Got a NOS one from Kennedy but the only way it will fit is to bend the cable at about 90 to get it in. The clock bezel is in the way. The old one was bend, that's why it was hard to move. I got the electric set up from a CO garage sale at AMO. I'm thinking of switching it to. but them I'll meed o difference washer bag.

Fluffy73 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Nov/21/2007 Location: Castlegar, BC Status: Offline Points: 3059	Post Options Post Reply Quote Fluffy73 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Feb/16/2008 at 6:05pm
	I converted my Gremlin to the later, Ford-style (Motorcraft?) electric wipers. I found the early electric ones' design to be very poor. The main rod would disconnect from the motor constantly - usually during a hard rain. Not to mention it's highest speed was about par with most cars' "slow" speed. Anywho, converting to the Motorcraft electrics is easy. You will need: - motor & plate - wiper rods inside the cowl - wiring harness - switch Now, it's been a while since I've actually done this but the mechanical part is straight forward. Swap out the rods, the wipers, the motor, the switch, etc. Once everything is hooked up, and the wiring harness is in, you'll be left with two wires. One is brown, the other I cannot recall. Regardless, both go to a switched 12v source. One is main motor power, the other is parking motor power. Very simple swap, took me half an afternoon.
	I am genetically incapable of being Politically Correct.

mitchs66 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Nut Joined: Sep/22/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 368	Post Options Post Reply Quote mitchs66 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Feb/28/2008 at 5:31am
	What year range are the ford wiper moters coming from??? I would like to make this change on my car.