A Very Clean Wipe feature
A Very Clean Wipe
New Port Engineering’s C10 Wiper Motor Upgrade
By Rob Fortier | Photography By the Author

It was over 30 years ago—at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in St. Paul, Minnesota, to be exact—that Bob and Linda Galbraith unveiled the very first Clean Drive Wiper, New Port Engineering’s direct bolt-in replacement for 1939-1948 Chevy passenger car vacuum-drive wiper motors. With their motto, “Drive through it, not around it!”, the company has continually driven forward over the last three decades, expanding their line of direct-replacement Clean Wipe System wiper upgrade kits that cover more than 180 car and truck applications—including the popular Chevy C10!

Never having done a wiper motor installation, let alone an upgrade conversion, I was a bit apprehensive at first when this particular job came up on the to-do list. However, no sooner was the deteriorated, non-functioning OE vacuum motor removed and New Port’s new electronic motor bolted in place, factory linkage hooked up, new switch installed and wired, that my apprehensions were literally wiped away! With no exaggeration, the entire job took less than an hour, and now the C10 has a fully modern wiper system able to keep pace with most severe monsoon rains Mother Nature can throw at it!

How to remove the stock C10 vacuum-drive wiper motor from underneath the dash
In order to remove the stock C10 vacuum-drive wiper motor from underneath the dash, first disconnect the wiper arm linkage from the motor’s shaft underneath the cowl panel (which of course you’ll have to remove to be able to access the linkage!).
Proceed with the stock wiper motor removal
Remove the factory radio
Next, with the battery disconnected, proceed with the stock wiper motor removal. We’ve got the C10’s instrument cluster removed for better visual access—it’s not necessary; however, along with removing the factory radio (if applicable), it does allow for better access to everything behind the dash that you’ll be working with … so it’s not a bad idea to go ahead and follow suit!
A side-by-side visual comparison of the OE vacuum drive motor with New Port Engineering’s Clean Drive
A side-by-side visual comparison of the OE vacuum drive motor with New Port Engineering’s Clean Drive motor—performance-wise there is no comparison!
Before discarding the old factory motor, you’ll need to remove the shaft-mount linkage bracket
Before discarding the old factory motor, you’ll need to remove the shaft-mount linkage bracket—which will be reused on the New Port motor once it’s installed in the truck.

New Port offers their 1967-1972 Clean Wipe System with their standard, brand-new (not reman’d), 12V wiper motor with integrated direct bolt-in mounting bracket (which accepts the factory wiper arm linkage) and two-speed wiper switch, mounting hardware, and wiring harness. Available upgrades include a two-speed washer/wiper switch, an intermittent delay wiper switch, switch shaft extensions, and new stainless wiper arms and wiper blades.

Use a good, weather-resistant RTV silicone
Install the provided gasket to the interior mounting surface of the New Port motor prior to installing
Using a good, weather-resistant RTV silicone, install the provided gasket to the interior mounting surface of the New Port motor prior to installing.
Reattach the linkage arms and secure them with the retaining clip
Attached linkage arms
Reattach the linkage arms and secure them with the retaining clip (that hopefully you didn’t discard or break during initial removal!).
Once you’ve secured the linkage bracket properly
Once you’ve secured the linkage bracket properly …
New Port supplies each Clean Wipe kit with a two-speed wiper switch
As mentioned, New Port supplies each Clean Wipe kit with a two-speed wiper switch (shown) that uses either the provided knob or your factory knob depending on what look you prefer. Extensions (shown) are available for situations where radios, A/C components, and so on may interfere and clearance is required.
Remove the old switch
The new two-speed switch is pre-wired with the provided harness before being installed in the dash
With the old switch removed, the new two-speed switch is pre-wired with the provided harness before being installed in the dash.
Reinstall prior to mounting the new wiper motor switch
You have the option of using the supplied knob or reusing the OE one—whichever suits your tastes
If you opted to remove the instrument cluster as suggested, reinstall prior to mounting the new wiper motor switch. And as mentioned, you have the option of using the supplied knob or reusing the OE one—whichever suits your tastes!
Install your wiper arms along with a fresh set of wiper blades
Lastly, install your wiper arms along with a fresh set of wiper blades (for your windshield’s sake, DO NOT test-run your New Port wiper motor with worn-out blades or—worse yet—none at all!) and give your new system a test wipe!
Sources:
New Port Engineering

(800) 829-1929
www.newportwipers.com

Jimenez Bros. Air Ride & Rod Shop

(951) 343-5948
www.jimenezbrosairrideandrodshop.com