want to buy Wiper blades for '63

[rodneybeauchamp]

Looking to back date my wipers on 1963 Riviera to the original Trico (I think) metal backed stainless steel insert. 

 

Wanting to to buy a set of blades (any condition) that have the original stainless insert  or just the inserts with clips.  Rubbers are easy to get, but the correct length insert backing is not.

 

Mine are fitted with a generic set of inserts with rubbers that don't really fit the blade, but they clean.

 

Should be 17.25" long and 5/16" wide (435mm X 8mm)

 

thanks 

Rodney ???

 

 

[rodneybeauchamp]

Err think they should be 455mm, not 435mm. If they come from a '63 should be ok.

 

[Seafoam65]

                        I use the readily  available shorter ones that are for sale everywhere and they look great and also wipe the windshield

just fine.The added benefit is that you don't have to worry about the tip of the blade hitting the driver's side A-pillar trim and scratching it.

Best of all.......you can buy all the blades you want no problem.

[RivNut]

You don't need the entire assembly, just the insert.  The last time I bought some I found them on Amazon.

[Seafoam65]

                     I can buy the entire shorter assembly from my local Auto parts store anytime I want.....do the conversion

to the 15 inch blades, it's the only way to go.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[Riviera63]

Rodney,

 

If you want to stick with the original length. The Anco U-18R is what you want. They are available several places, including e-bay.

 

Bill

[RivNut]

As Winston states, the shorter blades are 1) easy to find as a complete assembly,  and 2) not prone to going across the A pillar nor are they liable to get entangled where they overlap.  But the drawback of the shorter blades is that they leave a section in the middle of the windshield uncleaned.  But that's okay if you never drive in the rain.  The choice is yours.

[rodneybeauchamp]

Thanks guys,

my problem is I can get rubber here ok, but the backing inserts are either too long or too short for the Riviera blade.

 

Cutting is not an option as you lose the stop at one end and the clip is in the wrong place at the other (hence too long or too short)

 

Besides they are black metal not bright stainless.

 

 

What the PO used was a generic refill that is a throw away. 

 

 

 

And Ed, Tis a driver, rain, hail or shine, having just completed a 1300km round trip to Bendigo Swap Meet. Going over it rained for most of the journey and coming back was quite warm. Riviera went really well, 65-70mph for most of the trip.

 

So any help with some original inserts would be helpful. ????

[Seafoam65]

                Because the wipers overlap in the middle of the windshield, the only difference is they don't wipe all the way at the top where the windshield is tinted.

I have put water on the windshield and tried them and the area wiped off is very good with good visibility with the 15 inch blades.

[Riviera63]

Rodney,

 

The Anco should work fine. Ed has tried these Here is what he said on another thread from the forum: 

 

Update,

 

I bought a pair of the ACDELCO 87150 but returned them because they were only 15" long.  Correct in every way (complete arm and blade) except for the length.  But in today's "post" I received a pair of Anco U-18R wiper refills.  They fit the OE arms perfectly.    And they were less than $10 for the pair. I assembled one and the profile of the refill is a great improvement over the original; it appears that they should work well. 

 

Another choice, the Trico 33-150 shown in picture number 1. These are 15" but have the classic look.

 

Another option taken from another thread on the forum, picture number 2.

 

If you don't need the metal arm, order NAPA part #WIP 601847 (18") and just take out the METAL refill and insert it into your original silver metal wiper arm. They retail for $8 each. This way it looks original and you have real metal spine refills, not the cheap plastic ones I see on so many other early Rivieras.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Bill

 

 

 

[rodneybeauchamp]

On 23 November 2017 at 4:36 AM, Riviera63 said:

Rodney,

 

If you want to stick with the original length. The Anco U-18R is what you want. They are available several places, including e-bay.

 

Bill

 

Hi Bill,

Thanks for that info. I had a look at these through Amazon and from their pictures they appear to be a throw away insert in black.

 

Sure they may  work but it is what I have put on already to keep the rain away. (Refer pictures I posted) however

 

my quest is to find some original bright metal backings and clips so I can just keep changing the rubbers.

 

I want to retain the original look of the wipers too, which is why I prefer chasing original wipers with original inserts, or just inserts.

 

I know it is just a small thing, but they make a difference!

[Riviera63]

On 11/24/2017 at 5:01 PM, rodneybeauchamp said:

 

Hi Bill,

Thanks for that info. I had a look at these through Amazon and from their pictures they appear to be a throw away insert in black.

 

Sure they may  work but it is what I have put on already to keep the rain away. (Refer pictures I posted) however

 

my quest is to find some original bright metal backings and clips so I can just keep changing the rubbers.

 

I want to retain the original look of the wipers too, which is why I prefer chasing original wipers with original inserts, or just inserts.

 

I know it is just a small thing, but they make a difference!

 

Hi Rodney,

 

I guess I am confused as to what you are looking for. There are only 2 pieces, the removable Trico metal portion of the wiper blade arm(it has a brushed finish as opposed to a shiny finish)  which holds the rubber insert and the rubber wiper blade insert. I have posted pictures of the wiper blade arm and insert taken off of my 1963. This metal arm looks the same as what was on all of my 63 GM cars that I have had in the past,  so I am assuming that the metal wiper blade arm is the original Trico. (Maybe others can confirm or deny) The wiper blade rubber insert I am sure is a replacement but, is the correct length. I have tried to recreate your original shots with my blade and have added others as well. When measured on the arm the wiper blade rubber insert measures about 17 7/8" which translates to 454 mm, almost the same as what you measured. the removable metal portion of the assembly measures 17 1/2 inches which is roughly 445 mm. The rubber insert measures 18" or roughly 457 mm when straight. Unless I am missing something, to me it looks like what you have on your car is correct.

 

Bill

 

P.S. I think understanding dawned on me while I was putting the rubber insert back into the arm. You are saying that the original rubber blade had a metal spine with the metal retaining clip with a removable rubber blade and this set up allowed you to replace just the rubber portion of the blade with a new rubber blade and retain the original metal spine and clip? If this is so I have learned something new. My apologies for being obtuse.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2017 by Riviera63
revise text (see edit history)

[RivNut]

On 11/22/2017 at 4:45 AM, rodneybeauchamp said:

Looking to back date my wipers on 1963 Riviera to the original Trico (I think) metal backed stainless steel insert. 

 

Wanting to to buy a set of blades (any condition) that have the original stainless insert  or just the inserts with clips.  Rubbers are easy to get, but the correct length insert backing is not.

 

Mine are fitted with a generic set of inserts with rubbers that don't really fit the blade, but they clean.

 

Should be 17.25" long and 5/16" wide (435mm X 8mm)

 

thanks 

Rodney ???

 

 

 Try Trico part # 43-180.  It's an 18 inch refill with a metal spine instead of the black plastic. 

[rodneybeauchamp]

Bill,

you are on the money. The PO put in some generic plastic backed inserts that I have replaced because they were shot. When I went to my local parts store they had refills with metal backs that were too long or too short. 

 

By going back to originals I can purchase the rubber parts only and cut the rubber to suit my blades. 

 

And if I am going down this path I want to use the correct bright stainless steel insert backs that fit my blades, which have Trico stamped on them. They are also then the correct width too as the current inserts are too thin to stay in the blade holder,  they work but not right. 

 

Ed, thanks, I will see what that brings up.

 

Rodney ????

[rodneybeauchamp]

Hi guys,

just received som Trico 43-180  refills and disappointed. ????????????????

 

The Amazon web site shows refills with the metal ribs spaced along the length of the blade whereas what was received was just plain metal backings with no ribs. They possibly will fit the blades but don't look the part.

 

The last photo is from their site, others are what was received. ?????

 

So still looking for some original metal backed ribbed wiper inserts or blades. ?????????

[RivNut]

Rodney,

The picture that you posted may be wrong, but the refill is correct.  I ordered a set as well and they came in today's mail.  I took one out of the package and compared it to an old original that I had in a set of arms.  The only difference is that the original has shrunk and it's torn. Here are a couple of pictures comparing old with new.  The reason you see more of the spine on the old blades is due to shrinkage. Sorry about the photo quality, i took the pictures using my tablet

 

Ed

[rodneybeauchamp]

49 minutes ago, RivNut said:

Rodney,

The picture that you posted may be wrong, but the refill is correct.  I ordered a set as well and they came in today's mail.  I took one out of the package and compared it to an old original that I had in a set of arms.  The only difference is that the original has shrunk and it's torn. Here are a couple of pictures comparing old with new.  The reason you see more of the spine on the old blades is due to shrinkage. Sorry about the photo quality, i took the pictures using my tablet

 

Ed

 

So Ed,

are the original blades just thin strips of metal.? I understood they would have been like these, with all the raised ribs as per this photo.

???

 

[RivNut]

46 minutes ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

 

So Ed,

are the original blades just thin strips of metal.? I understood they would have been like these, with all the raised ribs as per this photo.

???

 

Rodney,

 

I saw that same picture on Amazon, from whom I just got my refills, and thought that the picture looked strange.  I'd found other pictures of the 43-180 and knew from those pictures that the refills matched the OE blades.  A metal spine with the rubber blade is what is original.  I have no idea what the raised ribs are.

[RivNut]

I stumbled across something today.  If you want the 15" (non-overlapping) assemblies, here's some for you. Complete - arm and blade.

 

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-Makes-8-7150-Wiper-Blade/dp/B000IZ1F3S