Should I eliminate my wipers?

[NYTRANSAM]

Hey all,


Im restoring a 68 firebird. I going the P-T route and was thinking of eliminating the windshield wipers completely. Im smoothing the fire wall and if I remove the wipers ill fill in the upper valence. My cars never see any rain, and i figure rain-x can help if I get caught in some dizzle. What do you guys think? has anyone done this?

[Vegas69]

I did and have mixed feelings at this point.

[Scott Parkhurst]

I ran without wipers when I lived on the West Coast, and it was a real hassle on the occasional rainy day. I did use Rain-X though...it did help a little.

When I moved to the Midwest I got the wipers working again, and I don't regret it a bit.

I still have to get the heater/defrosters working for those cold and/or wet mornings.

What I'm trying to say is that making all the factory stuff work is a good thing, and getting caught in the rain is rarely something planned. If you drive your car at all, you should have wipers.

If you don't drive your car, you're probably at the wrong web forum.

[mc84_zz4]

Over here state law requires functioning wipers, horn, lights, etc.
Can be open to getting pulled over by officer Bob Speed.

[DLinson]

I don't know how crowded it is under the dash of a Firebird but I hid my DSE wiper motor under the dash and created my own linkage.

I'd rather have the wipers. Rain-X doesn't do well with misty conditions or light rain. That's what I experianced when I used it.

Dennis

[Mkelcy]

No.

[Yoda4561]

Rainx won't help at all in a light drizzle, or if you get caught behind someone on a really wet road when it's not raining. It makes wipers work better in those conditions, but without something forcing water off the windshield droplets just sit there and makes it hard to see. It works fantastic in light rain to heavy downpours once you hit highway speeds, but going slower you need wipers to maintain visibility. Where I live most of the rain I end up driving in is heavy and I'm on the interstate, so my wipers don't see much use, but getting misted by a semi truck after the storm I'm really glad I have them.

[MCMLXIX]

We'll I'm guessing your in NY somewhere so I would say no...

If you plan on driving the car much I would suggest an upgrade to something like DSE offers. I relocated my factory wiper motor under the driver side fender to clean up the firewall. I need to figure out if I'm going to buy the DSE kit or try and make something work on my own. There are a couple guy that have and a few more working on different solutions for a late model wiper and switch...

I guess it comes down to how much effort you want to invest in the wipers...

[MarkM66]

Move the wiper motor to under the drivers side fender, and extend the arm.

[John Wright]

Light drizzle, in the dark with on-coming traffic at any speed and RainX is not a good combination...the glare from headlights and all of those little drops on the windsheild will make it tough to see where the heck you are going.

As the others said, at highway speeds in the dark with no on-coming traffic, RainX is great. You can barely even notice that it is raining at all, even in heavy downpours.

[94SNGLTURBO]

yes get rid of them.. i dont have any on my 65 chevelle

[wmhjr]

Don't get rid of them. I struggled with the decision, but elected to keep wipers while eliminating heater/defroster.

[Vegas69]

Now a heater is just as important as wipers on that dewey morning.

[tomm]

i decided to keep my wipers and move the motor under the driverside fender, not really very hard to do, just keep the angle of the motor the same as original, and lenghthen the linkage, heres where i'm at currently i want to put the new engine and trans in before i button everything up.

thanks tom

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/DSC00896-1.jpg
















https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/DSC00897-1.jpg

[markjanos]

Keep the wipers, unless your building a trailer queen

[parsonsj]

I got rid of mine, for the same reasons: difficulty of packaging everything under the dash, plus some rust issues around the cowl bosses.

I wish I hadn't. I'll never eliminate them again.

jp

[wmhjr]

Now a heater is just as important as wipers on that dewey morning.

That's what a soft rag is for. Seriously, at first I was convinced that the heater/defroster was going to stay. But I thought about it a lot and decided to eliminate it. My harley has a windshield and no defroster/heater and I ride it on this mornings. Who knows - I may regret it later.

[Vegas69]

Except it will keep coming back for a while. We're talking about early in the morning. I never planned to drive mine long distances and to be honest, just put my heat in this month after over a year of driving. I just want heat in general. Wipers aren't that hard to add.

[wmhjr]

I agree with you - except it isn't all that easy to add wipers back when you've smoothed your firewall, etc. Doesn't matter for me. It is what it is, and if I can ride my HD with the windshield in the same weather, on the relatively rare instances it happens with the GTO I'll deal with it.

If you've ever owned an old VW - especially a VW bus - you learn to deal with no defrosters :)

[Vegas69]

Mine is smoothed as well. Cutting a hole in the firewall wouldn't be fun but not the end of the world.

[captcrash]

I just got done moving the wiper motor to behind the drivers side fender on my 69 camaro. I am using a DSE motor kit. I took a lot of time to measure so that I made sure that the motor was as at the same angle as stock, however with the DSE motor, it does not come straight out, and it hit the fender, so I had to modify the DSE bracket, and turn the motor 180 degrees. Make sure that you know what parts you will be using, before you start welding.
Brian

[Vegas69]

Taking the fender off to access a wiper motor isn't ideal. I like servicable and clean over hidden and your screwed anyday. LOL

[monza]

I never plan on driving in the rain, I have driven in huge rain storms, light rain and drizzle. I can't even imagine not having wipers, leave them in they are key to making a PT car fully functional. Rain or shine...

[Vegas69]

300 days of no clouds is the only reason I yanked mine. If I had to do it over again, it would have wipers.

[BonzoHansen]

Keep them.

I did eliminate the washer system in my 2nd gen.

[ho428]

I tried to run at Road Atlanta in the rain a couple of weeks ago, even with rain X I had a tough time with no wipers. I'd never run on the street without them.

But given all the custom work that goes into a PT I don't understand why someone hasn't worked the cowl vent of a First gen F into a pop up like the early 3rd Gen Corvette?
Small actuator, a few levers for the cowl, relocate the arms and hide the wiper motor either in the dash or behind the fender.
Take a little engineering but it'd be cool.

[parsonsj]

I was a happy dude the day I got the A/C, defrost and heat working in my car. Vintage Air Front Runner and Gen IV Magnum evaporator.

IMO: All of it (and a radio/stereo) makes the car much more enjoyable to drive. It's not all about the track, especially in a street car.

Oh, and thank god somebody had the sense to insist on hydraulic lifters (my engine builder).

jp

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

yes it is JP.. yes it is!!!

aahhaha


keep the wipers..

[mroth]

I live in Colorado and you will see quite a few here without them. I welded all of my stuff in. If it were to rain here I would just wait it out. However there is not much humidity here.

[monza]

yes it is JP.. yes it is!!!

aahhaha


keep the wipers..

is that not a bit to much creature comfort for you, spit and a squeegee

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

nah, when i want a jacuzzi i just fart in the tub..

[BonzoHansen]

i was a happy dude the day i got the a/c, defrost and heat working in my car. Vintage air front runner and gen iv magnum evaporator.

Imo: All of it (and a radio/stereo) makes the car much more enjoyable to drive. It's not all about the track, especially in a street car.

Oh, and thank god somebody had the sense to insist on hydraulic lifters (my engine builder).

Jpqft

[buickfunnycar.com]

No wipers on my '69,no heat or defrost on any of my cars,never turned the wipers on any musclecar I've owned since 1980...not even sure they work,lol.

If you need them or have state inspections to pass,by all means install them,rain-x will only get you so far.

My wants/needs in a musclecar might be different than what others expect,I want my cars to be loud and obnoxious (no sound deadening),no stereo systems of any kind,no A/C or heat (other than engine heat),no power steering,and of course...11:1 solid lifters.:usa:

[NYTRANSAM]

No wipers on my '69,no heat or defrost on any of my cars,never turned the wipers on any musclecar I've owned since 1980...not even sure they work,lol.

If you need them or have state inspections to pass,by all means install them,rain-x will only get you so far.

My wants/needs in a musclecar might be different than what others expect,I want my cars to be loud and obnoxious (no sound deadening),no stereo systems of any kind,no A/C or heat (other than engine heat),no power steering,and of course...11:1 solid lifters.:usa:
John, I like where your comming from, But after much debate and good advice on this forum I guess I will keep the wipers. Thanks all

[monza]

No wipers on my '69,no heat or defrost on any of my cars,never turned the wipers on any musclecar I've owned since 1980...not even sure they work,lol.

If you need them or have state inspections to pass,by all means install them,rain-x will only get you so far.

My wants/needs in a musclecar might be different than what others expect,I want my cars to be loud and obnoxious (no sound deadening),no stereo systems of any kind,no A/C or heat (other than engine heat),no power steering,and of course...11:1 solid lifters.:usa:

I guess you win. lol Can't say any thing about that without looking like a little girl.

[fordsbyjay]

I would keep them. I have cars without them and cars where they don't work and it sucks. My t-bucket is not a car for the rain but I get caught in the rain more often then you would think. Especially if you want to drive it all the time and that is the whole point right? Who wants a trailer queen.

[Steve1968LS2]

I never plan on driving in the rain, I have driven in huge rain storms, light rain and drizzle. I can't even imagine not having wipers, leave them in they are key to making a PT car fully functional. Rain or shine...

I drove 90 miles in the pouring rain.. in the mountains of TN with no problems, no wipers, no heater.... :shrug:

Still.. I wouldn't remover wipers from a car if they are there.. it's just that were I'm at it's not worth the effort to put them back on since Penny came this way. Track Rat will have them since there's no real benefit (aside from looks) to remove them.

[monza]

I knew I'd have to eat my words if you found this thread...

[trapin]

I don't plan to go with them initially but will save my money for the DS&E wipers to add at a later date.

[MarkM66]

Taking the fender off to access a wiper motor isn't ideal. I like servicable and clean over hidden and your screwed anyday. LOL

True. But most of these cars are still running the original 40+ year old wiper motor, which still works.

So I'd say the chance of having to change the wiper motor far exceeds the rate at which you'll have to change the cars engine, ;) .

[Jim Nilsen]

That's what a soft rag is for. Seriously, at first I was convinced that the heater/defroster was going to stay. But I thought about it a lot and decided to eliminate it. My harley has a windshield and no defroster/heater and I ride it on this mornings. Who knows - I may regret it later.

You have vent windows and they make all the difference when you open them, it's like rolling down the windows. I had to drive for a few weeks one time from the fall into winter cycle and the vent windows covered my butt really well. Dress for the weather and you are good to go. And as you said, keep a soft absorbent towel handy just in case.

[Jim Nilsen]

You can move the motor to the glove box area and there is plenty of pics and how to on it in several sections. Just do a search on wiper motors and you will find all of the info. You can always ask more questions if you need to.

[Jim Nilsen]

True. But most of these cars are still running the original 40+ year old wiper motor, which still works.

So I'd say the chance of having to change the wiper motor far exceeds the rate at which you'll have to change the cars engine, ;) .

The biggest problem with the old wiper motors was the washer pumps going bad and that is an easy problem to solve.