69 wiper blade holders

[Greg L.]

These are off of my car but before I go and restore them I'd like to make sure that they are the original ones. So what do you think, do they look correct?




They say "TRICO MADE IN USA" Hope the pics are good enough.

Greg Linton
#45455

[Peter L.]

Re: 69 wiper blade holders

Greg - If they are 16" wiper holders, they are at least the configuration of the TRICO holders that were used on 1969 Corvettes. Are they the original ones? I don't know that but there's a good chance and you should be able to make them like the originals. The wording of TRICO and the MADE IN U.S.A. in smaller letters under that stamped on the top of the holders at the ends would be what I would expect on those holders and is usually found on the 68 and up Corvette TRICO OEM 16" holders and even the OEM TRICO 15" holders used during most of calendar year 1967.

It appears that the refills in the holders in the picture are ANCOs or some brand other than TRICOs, so if you want the wiper blade asemblies to be as installed in production, you'll want to replace the wiper blade refills with TRICO brand 16" refills with the 2 ribs or at least current TRICO refills to be more "correct."

Pete

[Pat M.]

Re: 69 wiper blade holders

Greg - I agree with Peter - the holders appear to be correct, as they would be for my 1970.

Patrick Moresi #45881

[Greg L.]

Re: 69 wiper blade holders

Thanks guys. Well the holders are actually 15 3/4" long so if that's close enough to 16" then I guess they are the original ones. I was pretty sure that they were the originals but I just wanted to make sure...been fooled before

Do you know if the refills are reproduced or should I just go for the TRICO replacements?

[Peter L.]

Re: 69 wiper blade holders

Greg - I don't think the original TRICO style 16" refills with the 2 ribs are being reproduced and NOS ones are getting harder to come by. The later configuration TRICO refill with the 3 ribs are more readily available and I'm quite sure the newer TRICO refills with the original style backbone/vertebra and the Latch-Locks and a smooth sided rubber element are available at auto parts stores. Good luck. Pete

[Jack H.]

Yes...

That's the item you want! The service replacements have a different geometry bridge for the holder. They're 'fat' in the center narrowing to VERY thin at the outer tips.

With the service replacement holders, you'll get interference an early Shark cars from the washer hose nozzle captive to the arm where it crosses over the RH blade. Only the factory original blade holders with their 'flat/squat' upper bridge geometry fit properly...

[Chuck S.]

Re: Yes...

Greg's wiper blades look exactly like the ones that I found on my 70, and that's a relief...After the earlier discussion on the "spines", I was afraid someone had replaced the entire wiper blades rather than just the inserts.

Hey, Greg, how about a close up picture of those "no bright metal" insert spines? I think I can see them on your pictures, but a good close up would really be helpful. It looks like I also see a little retainer clip on one end of your blades.

[Peter L.]

Re: The refill spine or vertabra

Chuck - I think if Greg can get a photo of the refills that we'll find that spine or vertabra of these refills do not have the series of loops or bridges on them that are typical of the ones used by TRICO in those years. I can say for sure from the photos that the locking mechanism at the end of the refill that secures the refill in the holder is not typical of a TRICO Latch-Lock. Pete

[Greg L.]

Re: The refill spine or vertabra

No problem taking more pictures for you Chuck but I'm not quite clear just what it is that want to see. If it's the refill then that's probably a waste of time because I know they are not original because I remember replacing them. I don't remember much back then but I do remember that!

[Chuck S.]

Re: The refill spine or vertabra

The part I'm interested in is the thin metal strip that the rubber insert is mounted in; it's this thin metallic edge that actually contacts the wiper holder (blade) retaining tabs. A close up of the wiper blade and rubber insert would reveal whether the finish of your "rail" or "spine" is dark or stainless.

Normally, when you replace the rubber inserts, you would remove the insert assembly from the wiper blade, extract the thin metal "rail" out of the rubber, then insert that "rail" into the new rubber for reassembly into the wiper blade. In some cases, new "rails" may have been provided with the rubber inserts in shiny stainless steel...if that's what yours has, then they are not original, and no pictures required.

[Greg L.]

Re: The refill spine or vertabra

Oh now I get it.

Sorry Chuck but they are not original.

[Peter L.]

Re: The refill spine or vertebra

Chuck - You are correct in that the refills in the original production TRICO windshield wiper blade assemblies has the metal vertebrae that were black. Most folks didn't bother when they replaced the refills since the TRICO refills came with rubber wipers installed in the metal vertebrae which on the replacement refills generally had the bright fnatural metal finish. BTW, the OTC TRICO w/s/w blade holders were also had the unpainted finish but it was the brushed finish. To make the refill metal vertebrae appear like the original production finish folks remove the rubber element and either paint them or have them powder coated. Pete