CP Wiper Mod

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
Has anyone replaced that useless middle tailgate light with a wiper? Tailgate window gets pretty dim sometimes - especially at the end of a 12 mile dirt road.

Donald McCaig

[91waggin]

Do you mean the center stop light? I like the idea of having a wiper back there, but since the glass rolls down, you'd have to figure out a way to mount the wiper motor between the glass and the back of the car so the window wouldn't hit it on its way down.

Personally, I think the center stop light is a good safety feature, and it has been credited with reducing rear-end collisions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_l...mp_.28CHMSL.29

Another thing: If you were to do this, wouldn't you want a washer in the back to get rid of dust/dirt from the 12 mile dirt road you mention? You'd probably want to rig a separate reservoir and pump, because running tubing from the front would probably be a bitch. However, there's probably enough room within the door itself for both of these items.

[1987cp]

I've definitely entertained the notion of adding a rear wiper and washer system. My tailgate window also gets pretty dirty, and there's not much I can do about it till I park the car. Mine also lacks the rear defroster, so the wiper would be handy for me even in the wintertime (though it might be easier to install a rear defrost than a wiper). My idea, for as far as it got - which isn't very - was to leave the center brake light and mount the wiper off center somehow, probably using a factory setup yanked from something like an Explorer, minivan, or maybe an older Escort. Funny now that I think about it that Escorts were available with a rear wiper (my dad's radio-delete '85 had one!) while Squires and Colony Parks were not.

[interceptor1985]

Well, There is a way to keep that back window sorta clean, That rear spoiler for the wagons is supposed to redirect air flow over the window to push the dust and grime away from the glass.

[91waggin]

Well, There is a way to keep that back window sorta clean, That rear spoiler for the wagons is supposed to redirect air flow over the window to push the dust and grime away from the glass.

Mine is only marginally effective for rain, and completely ineffective for any kind of dust, grime, or snow.

[Lincolnmania]

theres not a whole lot of room there donald.....how bout i harvest a spare tailgate and hinges and see what kind of room there is?......nice rust free tan tailgate with decent hinges there if nobody destroyed it in 2 weeks since i was there

[gabegt90]

you know I always thought about if that's possible to add one in there
I know the chevy caprice wagon buick roadmasters and ford Taurus wagon's have a wiper on the top near the stop 3rd brake light

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers, Scott wrote:"theres not a whole lot of room there donald.....how bout i harvest a spare tailgate and hinges and see what kind of room there is?......nice rust free tan tailgate with decent hinges there if nobody destroyed it in 2 weeks since i was there"

I've got a good tailgate with Pete V8 and should get it to you in early July. I'd like that defrost and a wiper mod if possible. Need some genius here. Donald

[85crownHPP]

There might be room in there for a rear wiper motor... if you could find something strong enough to mount it too... hhmmmm... the power trunk mod was easy enough

[1987cp]

There might be room in there for a rear wiper motor... if you could find something strong enough to mount it too... hhmmmm... the power trunk mod was easy enough

Power trunk mod?

Hm... now I'm wanting to get me an Escort rear wiper and see what can be done with it. I do have a spare tailgate taking up space in the basement.

[gabegt90]

Where would the wiper motor be mounted? on the top like chevy caprice wagon's or like the escort?

[1987cp]

I expect underneath, since the Panther wagons' rear glass is attached only at the bottom, where it rolls down into the tailgate. I imagine it would be necessary to plan the project so that the wiper's "park" position left it still in contact with the glass with the window down. This would probably mean having the motor assembly offset somewhat to the left. A sprayer nozzle, on the other hand, would be a bit easier to mount pretty much anywhere.

[85crownHPP]

Power trunk mod?

I installed a towncar power trunk pull in my vic

[arkoza63]

I once had a '68 plymouth wagon that did have a rear window wiper an washer. it was located in the in the tailgate. the wipers were mounted horizontaly near the top of the gate. the washer bottle an pump were mounted in the rear quarter by the spare tire. a rubber hose ran to a couple of squirter just above the wipers. so to clean the rear window you pushed the rear washer button on the dash and roll down the rear window.

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
1987 cp wrote:
I expect underneath, since the Panther wagons' rear glass is attached only at the bottom, where it rolls down into the tailgate. I imagine it would be necessary to plan the project so that the wiper's "park" position left it still in contact with the glass with the window down. This would probably mean having the motor assembly offset somewhat to the left. A sprayer nozzle, on the other hand, would be a bit easier to mount pretty much anywhere"

I'm wondering if the original panther disappearing wipers could be modified. When the rear window is entirely down there's only about two inches of glass for a wiper to rest on. Maybe - like the front wipers - it could drop down onto the shield below the window and lift up to do its duty.

Donald McCaig