Hello!
I have been driving my Austin Seven RP 1934 since 1989 and have always tried to make it as original as possible. One of the things that I never really liked was the electric wiper motor that I would like to replace by a vacuum version. A friend of mine had one on stock and gave it to me for free and so I started this project.
But there are some problems:
1) Finding suitable washers of suitable size and material in Germany is not easy. I contacted Don Breakspear to ask for some new washers but they are not available as single parts and so... well... we will see. Are there any washers available or suitable replacements in form of moderns washers?
2) Attaching the vacuum wiper motor to the windscreen is not a problem but where is the vacuum hose / pipe (what is the correct Englis term for it?) put? Where does it leave the body to reach the inlet manifold and where is it attached to? Are there any photos, technical drawings available?
Looking forward to your answers
Best regards
Frank
Washers - did you mean washers that go with nuts and bolts, or wipers that wipe the rain off the windsreen or washers that spray water on the windscreen.
If its for nuts and bolts, just use metric ones and drill out to the required size.
If its 'wipers' then the usual UK suppliers have them
If its 'washers' for spraying water, then they are not original.
Regarding the vacuum hose, it is a special pipe with 'ribs' on the outside, and it travels down the inside of the door pillar and on my RN it comes out just below the glove pocket.
18-08-2019, 07:34 AM (This post was last modified: 18-08-2019, 07:45 AM by Frank Stoll.)
Thank you for your reply.
I mean the leather washers (or seals) that are inside the Lucas Vacuum Wiper. On the following photo they can be seen (although poor quality) at the top.
Do you have any pictures of where the hose leaves the body and where it is attached to your inlet manifold?
Thank you once again for your quick reply.
Frank
18-08-2019, 07:52 AM (This post was last modified: 18-08-2019, 07:55 AM by Geoff101.)
I need some of the same answers. I can tell you that the vacuum tube runs along the top of the screen and into the door pillar, then pops out under the dash, but what happens then I also need to know as mine was broken off under the dash when I got the car. Presumably it goes through one of the many holes in the bulkhead.
You can sometimes find the right leather washers in hardware stores (and even on a well known auction site!). They are often sold as seals for bicycle hand pumps.
On my RK the pipe runs down the windscreen pillar right across the scuttle and out of a hole close to the choke pull. There is a push on tube screwed into the inlet manifold.
However I've spent hours trying to get vacuum wipers to work on the RK. Eventually I gave up. They only work on overrun down a hill. Up a hill and they stop. I seem to remember my Ford 100E did exactly the same and that was a car from the 50's so technology hadn't improved.
Hello Geoff, Hello Howard,
thank you for your answers and advice and contributions to this thread. I have already contacted some people in Germany who produce these leather seals but their versions are... let's say brutally solid... I doubt whether they would not tear the vacuum motor to bits and pieces.
The problem that this vacuum system is less reliable than the electric version is one of the things I would accept as long as the car is in original condition.
One of the key problems - something I do not know at all - is the question of where the vacuum hose is attached to this manifold. Checked every possibility, stained my new shirt (Sorry, love!) and came to the conclusion that I am once again clueless.
Frank
(18-08-2019, 07:59 AM)Howard Wright Wrote: Hi Frank
You can sometimes find the right leather washers in hardware stores (and even on a well known auction site!). They are often sold as seals for bicycle hand pumps.
On my RK the pipe runs down the windscreen pillar right across the scuttle and out of a hole close to the choke pull. There is a push on tube screwed into the inlet manifold.
However I've spent hours trying to get vacuum wipers to work on the RK. Eventually I gave up. They only work on overrun down a hill. Up a hill and they stop. I seem to remember my Ford 100E did exactly the same and that was a car from the 50's so technology hadn't improved.
Cheers
Howard
I had the same problem with my Mulliner, I put thin grease around the leather washers instead of oil and it then used to work very well...... up hill and down !
Hello!
I used oil, grease and well... so far nothing. I will keep you updated.
Photos of the inlet-screw-hose-holding thingy... that would great because I have not found anything yet.
Frank
The vacuum branch on the RP manifold is on the top of the inlet manifold, engine side of the carburettor flange. It has probably been blocked off. Look for a flat section and you may see the temnants where the tube was fixed. Easy job to drill it out and replace
Thank you for your detailed description (although I have to ask my dictionary and need some technical drawings to figure that out). Has the manifold to be taken off, when drilling the hole, which screw to use, where to get?
Frank
![[Image: Lucas_Vacuum_Wiper_Motor_002.jpg]](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sKXxxhhnPPM/XU6zqDzdNxI/AAAAAAAABVA/92mJ_sEkBfsEoDNHlFYiefxLJQO3gzI4wCKgBGAs/s640/Lucas_Vacuum_Wiper_Motor_002.jpg)
