Electrical: Wiper Motor Question

[doug55stude]

Hello Everyone. I hope you all are having a wonderful new year. I'm in the process of converting my 55 Commander to 12 volts. My question is: Will a windshield wiper motor from 56-62 drop right in to make the wiper work correctly? if not, what options do I have? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[5brown1]

You can just use a voltage reducer and use the 6 volt motor. I'm not sure but I think most of the 12 volt motors had 4 wires while the 55 6 volt had three. So you would (I assume) have to also change the switch. I just cleaned up my 55 6 volt motor and it works fine so I am going to continue to use it. I think you can get a voltage reducer for less than $20. If you need help getting the switch wired up correctly let me know. I took pictures when I got mine figured out.

[doug55stude]

I really appreciate all the help I can get. A voltage reducer it is. Thank you

[SN-60]

As a follow up to 5brown 1: I just fitted a 12V wiper motor to a '55 Speedster. It was a three wire, (like the '55 6V). Yellow, green, and black I think, and it fit perfectly with a connector change. Came off a '59 Hawk.

[PlainBrownR2]

To ease up some of the confusion:

You can go with either a six or twelve volt motor, as it's just a motor, and not lamps or instruments. Without the reducer, the six volt motor will just spin a little faster.

The motors should able to be swapped out of the bracket on the car, and it should drop into place. There might be a little hogging out of the center hole, but it will install without a problem.

Electrically speaking, if you can figure out the wiring diagram of the switch, and where everything plugs in on the 4 prong plug, you should be able to use the original switch.

The one I had on the '55 was a six volt motor that had long since corroded and seized, and the switch on the dashboard had also long since bit the dust. I was going to 12 volts anyway, so I just went ahead and switched everything over to 12 volts for convenience, except the starter motor. I was also relocating the switches to another part of the car, and I had some unused bulk chrome switches I had got at a model train show for free, so I used those instead just for their style.

[Jackson]

I used a 62 Lark 12V motor for my 55 Speedster, had a three wire connector and bolted right on.

[brian6373]

I got a prestolite 6V wiper motor for a '50 2R to replace the the old vacume motor. I tried it on 12V and the high speed was way too fast. The low speed was about right for "high". I'm thinking a voltage reducer is going to be needed.

Brian