Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

[Michael G.]

Judging manual indicates wiper arms on a '66 Corvette are Trico...no problem. Wiper blades were either Trico or Anco....no problem. Mine happen to be Anco however they are not the "accepted" length of 15 to 15.25". Mine measure (inserts) 16" +/-. It's obvious the wiper blades and arms have been on this vehicle for many, many years. Wiper blade has the accepted rib that runs the length of the blade however curious about the length descrepency. What gives?

[Michael H.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

. Mine measure (inserts) 16" +/-. . What gives?

Michael,

I would have to guess that the blades on your car have been changed at some point in it's life. I don't think 16" blades were ever factory installed as far as i know.
Is your 66 early or later production?

[Michael G.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

Car was manufactured Sept. 23rd '65 at the A.O. Smith plant. What if any variation might this have? Isn't it quite a stretch even if they were swapped they were swapped for Anco branded blades?

[Joe L.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

Judging manual indicates wiper arms on a '66 Corvette are Trico...no problem. Wiper blades were either Trico or Anco....no problem. Mine happen to be Anco however they are not the "accepted" length of 15 to 15.25". Mine measure (inserts) 16" +/-. It's obvious the wiper blades and arms have been on this vehicle for many, many years. Wiper blade has the accepted rib that runs the length of the blade however curious about the length descrepency. What gives?

Michael------


GM says the original blades were 15". In fact, replacements sold to this day by Delco, Trico and Anco are all 15". The GM/Delco part number is 89001155. Of course, its configuration will not be as-original but it will be 15", as-original. The closest you can get to original configuration is Trico's "Classic" line.

I'm surprised that 16" blades will fit on the car without "overlap" or trim interference.

[Michael H.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

Car was manufactured Sept. 23rd '65 at the A.O. Smith plant. What if any variation might this have?

Just wondered. Over the decades, most of the blades on early production 66 cars seemed to be flat back style Tricos.
This assembly probably would have had dotted refills instead of the later ribbed.

Do the arms have a polished rod section, a brushed/dull stamped housing section and blasted/dull end that attaches to the wiper pivot?

I think there was a part number change shown in the 66 assembly manual for the blades and arms in mid 66 but I don't remember what the changes were.

[Michael G.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

All,

May have solved my own mystery. Seems '63 through early '66 used a polished or shiny wiper blade. Do any of you know this to be the case?

You'll observe (in my images) wiper arm is polished and blade is dull.

[Michael H.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

All,

May have solved my own mystery. Seems '63 through early '66 used a polished or shiny wiper blade. Do any of you know this to be the case?

You'll observe (in my images) wiper arm is polished and blade is dull.

I think that may be correct. If I remember correctly, the part number for the first issue blade in the 66 AIM was the same as the number in the 65 AIM. Was a 3872xxx ???

[Joe L.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

I think that may be correct. If I remember correctly, the part number for the first issue blade in the 66 AIM was the same as the number in the 65 AIM. Was a 3872xxx ???

Michael------


Late 1965 to very early 1966 PRODUCTION and SERVICE used blade assembly GM #3871085. Early 1966 to very late 1966 PRODUCTION and SERVICE used blade assembly GM #3888296. The latter was a 15" Anco with dull finish. Very late 1966 may have used GM #3908118, but if it was ever used in PRODUCTION it must have been the very last few weeks, or so. The 3908118 was used in PRODUCTION for all 1967 Corvettes. The 3908118 was never a SERVICE-available part, and I have no information on it. The original SERVICE blade assembly for 1967 Corvettes was the same as 1966----GM #3888296.

GM #3888296 remained the SERVICE blade assembly for 1965-67 Corvettes until February, 1975 when it was replaced by GM #3779741, the 63-65 SERVICE blade assembly.

There was also a Trico blade assembly available in SERVICE for 1965-67 Corvettes, although I have no information that it was used in PRODUCTION. This was GM #3899508. This assembly is 14-7/8" long. In fact, it's still available from GM to this very day.

[Michael H.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

Michael------


Late 1965 to very early 1966 PRODUCTION and SERVICE used blade assembly GM #3871085. Early 1966 to very late 1966 PRODUCTION and SERVICE used blade assembly GM #3888296. The latter was a 15" Anco with dull finish. Very late 1966 may have used GM #3908118, but if it was ever used in PRODUCTION it must have been the very last few weeks, or so. The 3908118 was used in PRODUCTION for all 1967 Corvettes. The 3908118 was never a SERVICE-available part, and I have no information on it. The original SERVICE blade assembly for 1967 Corvettes was the same as 1966----GM #3888296.

That's interesting. According to that info, Trico blades were never used on any 66. I'm going to have to think about that for a while.

[Bob J.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

That's interesting. According to that info, Trico blades were never used on any 66. I'm going to have to think about that for a while.

Don't believe that be correct because there are MANY examples of TRICO blades on ORIGINAL 66 cars.Bob

[Joe L.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

That's interesting. According to that info, Trico blades were never used on any 66. I'm going to have to think about that for a while.

Michael------

I didn't say that no Trico blades were used for 1966 Corvettes. The 3871085 may have been Trico; I don't know what firm manufactured those blades. Also, the 3908118 may have been Trico. As I mentioned, I have no information on that blade assembly, at all.

In addition, the 3899508 Trico blade assembly I mentioned as available in SERVICE could very well have been used in PRODUCTION. I only said I had no information that it was used in PRODUCTION but that does not mean it was not used in PRODUCTION. It could very well have been used. Certainly, the part was available at that time.

Finally, it's very possible that some blade assemblies were used in PRODUCTION other than those of the part numbers I mentioned. Especially for a part like wiper blade assemblies, I'd say this was extremely possible.

[Michael H.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

Michael------

I didn't say that no Trico blades were used for 1966 Corvettes.

I wasn't refering to your info. I was refering to the info from the Noland Adams book, 66 printing of the parts book and the 66 AIM.

The 66 AIM shows the 3871085 for 65 and possibly early 66. Noland shows the print for the 3871085 and it's definitely an Anco blade.

The next blade for 66 was the 3888296. It was used from very early 66 production and the parts book lists it as Anco also. That means GM, or at least some of their documentation suggests that Anco was the only blade used for 66.

I can't find any info that shows that a Trico was used for any 66 but I'm reasonably sure they were.

[Joe L.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

I wasn't refering to your info. I was refering to the info from the Noland Adams book, 66 printing of the parts book and the 66 AIM.

The 66 AIM shows the 3871085 for 65 and possibly early 66. Noland shows the print for the 3871085 and it's definitely an Anco blade.

The next blade for 66 was the 3888296. It was used from very early 66 production and the parts book lists it as Anco also. That means GM, or at least some of their documentation suggests that Anco was the only blade used for 66.

I can't find any info that shows that a Trico was used for any 66 but I'm reasonably sure they were.

Michael-----


Actually, I strongly suspect that the 3899508 Trico blade was used in 1966 PRODUCTION even though I have nothing to verify that.

[Michael G.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

Hey guys....before this post gets high-jacked by which company furnished what .....and before I put forth effort to find polished wiper blades for early '66.....is it reasonably assumed polished wiper blades were used in early production 1966.

Thanks for all the info

[Michael H.]

Re: Wiper blade mystery....'66 Corvette

Hey guys....before this post gets high-jacked by which company furnished what .....and before I put forth effort to find polished wiper blades for early '66.....is it reasonably assumed polished wiper blades were used in early production 1966.

Thanks for all the info

If it were mine, I would probably go with the dull Trico blade holders that were used for at least the first part of the 66 model year.