The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk windshield washer?

Maybe there is a better section for this question, but it wasn't apparent to me.. anyway, did the Task Force trucks (56 specifically, i guess) come with windshield "squirters" as a option? If so, where can i learn about where the reservoir goes and how it is hooked up, switched on, etc? thanks

yes a windshield washer was an option [w/o it the 'squirters' in the bezels were replaced with small screws] - there were 2 different in the TF years, one "vacuum co-ordinated" with a different push button wiper switch used, one foot operated with a bellows style foot pump .... the reservoir was a glass jar mounted on the firewall inboard of the regulator ..... you'd be lucky to find an original setup

Bill

thanks Bill, you are always a big help to the TF novices. i have this bracket that came in a pile of parts:

bracket

that i was told was for a 55 or 56 washer bottle... does it look correct? i am sure i could get a bottle to fit - and the tubing is no issue.. not sure where i'd ever find that foot pump..

yes that looks right, and the bottle used looks like a mason jar - you might find someone has just the foot thing, it's a rubber half globe on a thick plastic plate, the simplest possible air pump

Bill

PM me with an e-mail address and I will send you a copy of scanned installation instructions for a 57 windshield washer kit

I've seen those setups pop up on Ebay a few times. Almost bid on one that was NOS, still in the box. They can get very spendy if you find one.

thanks for all the info!

i managed to round up a bracket, glass bottle, and pump.Still looking for the foot-pedal part. Anyway, the lid on the bottle has a port that says "water" - which looks like the output to the spray nozzles - and a rusted/worn away marking on another hose connection that might say "vacuum". i sort of expected air pressure to be connected to that port so it would force water to be pumped out, but i guess vacuum could be used to run a pumping mechanism as well. So, what connects to this port? An air pump or manifold vacuum? thank you.

there was a couple variations for trucks, the lid w/ 2 fittings = water to the squirters, vacuum to the foot pump - the other variation had 4 fittings

Bill

See if this won't help you out some. My webshots album on 54 windshield washer parts

thank you gentlemen. i have the correct bracket for 56 (it matches the firewall dimples) and jar (they seem universal). my lid looks like Greg's pic #10 with the two ports as shown - it doesn't appear that this is correct for 56. I don't have any foot pump stuff yet. i'll keep looking.

It looks like the 55-2nd & 56 windshield washer units were foot-operated; and, the 57 unit was available push-button or foot-operated (USA trucks).

55-2nd/56 on left & 57 on right

For those of you who are interested in reproduction Truck Data Books, a 1957 book is available, but the quality of the scanned pages are not as good as in the 49 and 54 reproduction TDBs.

Look closely at the lid. In 54, the connections for hoses go opposite directions. In the later version, they both go the same direction.

indeed the ones on my lid both point in the same direction. and thanks for the accessory sheets tclederman

For at least some years (at least 1954), the spray nozzles were shared with Corvettes. Good repops are available at very reasonable prices.

I finally put together the whole set-up of foot-pump, bracket, and jar/lid. Its all in place and looks/works good. Question: For those who ran these trucks "back in the day" (i am a bit too young to have done so), what was in the jar for washer fluid? Soapy water, blue stuff like you get in the gas station, or something else? I sort of want it to look period correct - even knowing just the proper fluid color (clear, blue, other?) would be helpful.

water, and if using it in freezing weather, some antifreeze or methyl hydrate, although I think many just left it dry in the winter .... I don't think the dedicated blue washer fluid started until much later, maybe the 70's, when companies realized they could expand sales with a "convenience" product just changing the name

Bill

thanks Bill - i guess the fluid is clear, so water will do. not going to use the truck in the winter anyway, so i can drain it for the off-season.

I'd use some distilled water, then you don't have to worry about getting the green slime in your jar.

All you need to do is forget to do that one time and you'll be looking for another jar! If "correctness" is that important to you, I guess that's none of my business. But I would be more inclined to go with something that I knew would not freeze, even if it didn't look quite right.

I believe that the windshield washer installation instructions make mention of windshield washer fluid so I am not convinced that it came along later.

yes Greg, it says right on the label affixed to the lid (there on the repro ones, too) to use GM washer antifreeze. I guess it was this stuff i was curious about - specifically the color. i imagine a color might have been added so the operator could tell at a glance that he didn't have plain water in the system.

ps the instructions you sent me awhile back were a big help getting this installed - thanks

There was GM anti-freeze and there was GM anti-freeze and there was GM anti-freeze.

- Windshield-Washer anti-freeze
- Permanent anti-freeze for cooling systems
- Methanol anti-freeze for cooling systems

Service Accessories Section - 1954 Chevrolet Accessories Price Schedule

Optikleen or Opticlear which is the GM brand washer fluid often found in triangular shaped bottles (specifically to discourage aftermarket) was widely available from 1959-1970's. It was dyed red because GM would reject warranty claims on systems if it was not used. I have never to my knowledge seen a GM product specifically older than this 1959 product.

Red? very interesting and unique. thanks Brad.