Something I have wished the Mav had for a while now is intermittent wipers. Did any Mav's or Comets ever come with them? I'm going junkyardin' this afternoon, are there any other cars that I could use the intermittent wiper parts from? Like the switch, or whatever makes the intermittent work? Alot of the time when it rains, even the low setting seems to be to much. Especially like right after it rains and I'm driving down the interstate and the car in front of me is just throwing up mist.
I have been intending to put intermittent wiper delay on my Maverick for years but I never seem to "get around to it". I don't think that any Mavericks or Comets came with it from the factory, but JC Whitney sells a wiper delay box and I think it's only around $35.00 or so. Many other Fords and Mercurys from the '70s had it but I think it would be to much of a P.I.T.A. to convert the existing system to one of those...
Check out some of the Mid to late 70s Ford pickups (And possibly early 80s, I'm not sure). If they have the intermittent wipers grab the setup - it was an option, so most likely many won't have it. I did this with my 73, and it was very easy. You simply remove your non-intermittent switch and in its place plug in the delay box harness/switch assembly, screw the ground somewhere, and install the intermittent switch like your original. Pretty easy - the hardest part is taking out the instument cluster, but after enough times of that, it is pretty dang easy as well. Also check out some other 70s Ford cars for them as well. An easy way to tell is the switch will turn both ways - one way for the normal two speeds, and the other way is like the reostat that controls your instrument panel brightness. Once you try one you'll know exactly what I am talking about. Here's a pic of what you need. Hope this helps. -Corbin
Thanks! So your saying this thing just plugs in? The pull a part in Norcross has a few 78 and 79 trucks listed on their website, so I'll have to stop by there today also. I've pulled my insturment cluster out several times and pulled several in junkyards before, so thats no problem.
Our 76' Stallion has intermittant wipers that are original equipment. The owners manual calls them Interval Windshield Wipers. So yes, Mavericks did have intermittant wipers as an option, but I don't know what all years had them.
Yep, we've done that on several F100's, very easy mod. I have a set-up I just grabbed out of a 79 Bronco from a yard down the street that I plan on putting in the Maverick. Just try to turn the switch to the left. If it turns left and feels like the reostat then it's got the delay. I've gotten sets from as late as an 81 I think. I keep wondering if the van set ups would work since the pick-up setups get gone fast. The van set up has a sliding knob though Clint
They're correct on all counts. If you decide to pull a used unit out of the yard, be careful about what car you get it out of. Ford used two styles of pin connectors in the '70s to connect the harness to the switch. I have a delay unit at the store from a '76 Gran Torino and it has different style pins than the blade type on the back of our wiper switches. From the switch itself, it looks identical. Then you look at the connector and see the difference. The ones on the F- Series should be the same as ours. You might be able to go more recent than '81 on a truck unit. I have a '91 F-150 and the delay wipers are the same setup.
I think I remember finding a difference on the pins like you mentioned. I can't remember exackly but I think you can rotate the wires to make it work also. I think it had something to do with the washer system wire. You also have to make sure you ground the delay box itself or it won't work. This is a very popular mod so the delay boxes are getting harder to find. The F100 and Bronco guys are using them and you see them on Ebay now going for up to $65-$70 sometimes!
I've never seen one on any Maverick (and I've seen a lot of them over the past 20 years). Maybe Stallions were special since they were a limited edition...:confused:
According to the 76 brochure the convenience group option in 1976 gave you: Cigar lighter, remote control mirror, day/night mirror, interval windshield wipers and color keyed seat belts.
Well the junkyard turned up nothing. Every truck there done had the wiper switch setup removed. Then we ran though a monsoon on the way home, so we didn't get to stop at the other Norcross pull a part. Did get some little doo dads I guess I'll need for the small bumper swap and also got some Comet tail lights for free(thanks Terry). Ohh well, it was worth it just to bs with Terry and rideing in his dad's EFI 460 powered '94 F250.
