I have a 1969 4-speed - original SS 396. My wiper is dysfunctional ... not working .. or smokes the wires while it's working!!! Anyway I'm ordering a new wire harness, and in the process M & H needs to know whether I have "Recessed" wipers or not .. how do I tell??
You should have the recessed wipers unless you have one of the rare 2-door post cars. The wipers are recessed when they "park" below the hood line and are out of sight.
The non recessed wiper motor looks similar to the Camaro unit. The recessed wiper has the big round wiper motor hanging on an angle. 1969 300 Deluxe Chevelles came with the non recess wipers, even the SS396 models. The recessed will have the double wiper arm linkage on the driver's side.
... ... oh-h-h-h ! ..h-m-m-m, mine looks exactly like the above pic ... as in 1badss396 ... AND has double linkage as Keith says ... but am confused with ... never mind, just re-re-read the posts here. Got it. I have recessed then. ...
But guys - the wipers really don't hide themselves at the end of the stroke ... the lay on the windshield just above the 2" wide chrome strip that runs the lengith across the windshield. Why do they call them "recessed" then???
Also do you have source ofr replacing this motor?? The units available form OPG, etc. I have gotten and sent back .. the replacements they sell for the 69 do not look like my unit at all, and have differnet wiring connectors .. and look like the ones that came on the 1970 SS396.
can you see them sticking up above the rear hood edge? if you can, they're not functioning properly, a new motor might cure the problem, i think when they're cycling they stop short of the stainless strip and then drop down a bit more when turned off....(if i remember correctly, i'm not sure since i live in phoenix and checked the "wiper delete" box, when i smoothed my firewall)
On some cars they used a adapter plate. It looks to me that if the firewall was a certain stamping that was actually for a non recessed wiper car then they had a plate that moved the motor out about 1/2 inch and allows it to work properly. My Elcamino is that way.
For 68 & 69 the firewall is stamped so that the non recessed wiper motor mounts directly to it. If the recessed wiper is installed an adaptor plate is needed.
For 70, 71 & 72 the firewall is stamped so that the recessed wiper mounts directly to it. If the non recessed wiper is used an adaptor plate is needed.
I have the recessed wipers on my 68 too. Mine were like yours, they parked above the chrome strip. There's an adjustment on the linkage to fix the park position. I think it's on the linkage, in the cowl (been a while since I messed with it). Take the screen off the cowl on the driver side, and look at the linkage. You might be able to adjust the park position down lower.
Thanks! The adapter plate was what I needed. I have been to many Chevelle sites and no one seemed to know this. Why I don't know but the plate does move it out far enough to mount properly.
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