AUSTIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Q: Windshield wiper motor. I had one on the roadster. I see different ones on other cars. Are there certain ones for certain models or years?
A: The very early closed model American Austins used a # 1574 wiper motor with a left hand sweep. Later on the closed American Austins they used #1848 with a right hand sweep. The American Austin roadsters used a #1918 wiper motor.(the aforementioned wiper motor numbers are A/B factory catalog parts numbers, and are not Trico numbers). See the attached pictures of the ones used on one of my closed model American Austins and on my 1931 American Austin roadster. All were made by Trico.
The most obvious differences between the type on the closed
models and on the roadster are: (1) The closed models had the
wiper motor on the inside of the car, and the roadster is on the
outside. (2) The wiper motor on the closed cars is at the top
of the windshield, while on the roadster, it is at the bottom
of the windshield.(3) The roadster wiper motor mounts to the exterior
of the windshield frame with two bolts which are 4-11/16 inches
apart. The motor housing casting has two extended "ears"
for the mounting bolts. On the roadster wiper motor, there is
a small Trico medallion (nameplate) mounted on the motor body
on the side away from the windshield. The wiper bodies are black,
and the small somewhat elliptical shaped cover plate on the roadster
wiper is chromed