AN ALMOST-OPTIMAL, REAR-WINDOW WIPER & WASHER SYSTEM, FOR THE 1964~67 AND 1968~79 VW KOMBIS – FURTHER INFORMATION
by Nigel A. Skeet
Now that more than 100 of you good volks Down Under, have had the opportunity to view, covet and drool over, my inimitable, 1973 VW Type 2 Kombi rear-window wiper system, I would be interested to learn by way of feedback, whether anyone has confirmed the identity of any vehicles, currently in Australia and/or New Zealand, which can act as donors of these unusual cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper systems, for 1964~79 VW Type 2 owners like yourselves, in that part of the World!?!
Main textual description & history:
http://kombiclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1113
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=49209
Various images, posted with the kind assistance of Ray Smith & Peter Hill:
http://kombiclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1057
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=49243
If not, it's conceivable, that the more common, conventional, parallel-arm, pantograph, front windscreen-wiper systems (found on trucks, buses, tractors, railway engines, helicopters, hovercraft, etc), could be converted, to the cross-over-arm configuration, by rotating the pantograph link (the part which attaches to the wiper blade), through an arc about 180º and creating an offset (i.e. two doglegs, in opposite directions) in the secondary wiper arm. However, it would probably be necessary to modify the wiper-motor crank length, to obtain the desired wiper-sweep angle, to which the Chevette & Astra Mk. 1 systems were ideally matched, by an accident of fate!
Although it would be possible to freight second-hand parts from Great Britain or Europe, it would be much better, if suitable wiper systems could be sourced locally. With such information, I could then submit an updated, fully-illustrated, technical article, having greater local interest, to Craig Hughes, the editor of VW Magazine Australia, to stimulate wider interest, in this unusual and extremely useful, factory-fitted appearance upgrade, which I think many owners in the rainier territories, would find beneficial.
I had anticipated that someday, I might have the opportunity to modify and install my surplus Vauxhall Chevette Estate, cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper system into someone's 1964~79 VW Type 2, fully documenting the implementation, which would enable me to prepare a similar manual, but Australia or New Zealand, is a bit far for that! I already know in general terms, what would need to be done and the measurements which would need to be taken, but I have not yet had the opportunity, to fully investigate these, owing to the lack of a spare rear hatch. However, I could certainly give considerable guidance!
I've no objection, to selling or bartering (I much prefer bartering, for things that I seek, of which there are a few, likely to be more common in Australia!) my surplus Chevette rear-window wiper system, plus the Astra Mk. 1 based modification & installation manual, to a fellow VW Type 2 owner, either in the United Kingdom or overseas, but I should like to have some feedback (including text, measurements and photographs, similar to those in my existing draft manual) from the recipient, about how the final details of the modification & installation procedures, differed from those using the Astra Mk. 1 based system, so that I could append appropriate, detailed alternative sections to the manual, to cover both Astra Mk. 1 and Chevette based systems.
If there were the demand, I could probably obtain a few more Vauxhall Chevette Estate and/or Astra Mk. 1 Estate, cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper systems, through the various local car dismantlers, but the supply is likely to be very sporadic, especially considering that the last donor cars, were manufactured circa 1984/85 and had a production run of only a few years.
In an earlier posting, dated Wednesday, 22nd February 2006, I mentioned as follows, that estate car (i.e. wagon or station wagon) or van versions of the following vehicles, might be possible donors of cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper systems, for the 1964~79 VW Type 2 Kombis:
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http://kombiclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1113
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=49209
« The Chevette, was General Motors' first World car, being manufactured and/or marketed in various countries, as the Buick Opel (USA), Chevrolet Chevette (Brazil & USA), Daewoo Maepsy (South Korea), Holden Gemini (Australia), Isuzu Bellett Gemini & Gemini (Japan), Isuzu IMark (USA), Opel Gemini (Malaysia), Opel Isuzu (USA), Opel Kadett C (Germany), Opel K180 (Argentina), Pontiac Acadian (Canada), Pontiac T1000 & 1000 (USA) and Saehan Bird (South Korea), which would have been sold locally and to neighbouring countries in the region. »
« It is conceivable that similar rebadged versions of the front-wheel drive Astra Mk. 1, might also have been made in these and other overseas territories. Some examples are thought to be: the Chevrolet Gemini (Chile), Chevrolet Spectrum (USA), Geo Spectrum (USA), Holden Gemini Mk. 2 (Australia), Isuzu Gemini Mk. 2 (Japan), Isuzu IMark Mk. 2 (USA) and Pontiac Sunburst (Canada). Hence, it is possible that suitable donor estate cars or car-derived vans, equivalent to either the Vauxhall Astra Mk. 1 or Chevette Estates (aka Station Wagon, Caravan, Kombi, etc), might exist in most regions of the World, where VW Type 2s are found. »
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What I forgot to include in this overall summary list, were the British built, van versions of these, known as the Bedford Chevanne and Bedford Astravan Mk. 1, plus the van & wagon versions of the German built Opel Kadett D, which I know were equipped as standard, with the cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper system.
The following, are various Internet websites, pertaining to the Chevette and local derivatives, including the Holden & Isuzu Geminis:
http://www.angelfire.com/me/GETASPLATTUPYA/gemini.html
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mjs/vans.html
http://www.geocities.com/mygemi
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mjs/WorldCar70s.html
http://www.bernardes.trix.net/chevette/exterioe.htm
http://www.qsl.net/n3wrj/index5.html
