Wiping Arrows (Rootes Arrows Wipers & Other Similar Cars)

[PaykanHunter]

When I was growing up in Iran this was presented as fact that the Paykan's windshield wipers were never converted from their RHD models.

This misinformation was to the extend that for the last few years of Paykan production (and on the Paykan Pick-up models still being produced), IranKhodro wrongfully symmetry entire the system! And on these models there is a large triangle/trapezoid area that won't get wiped on the driver-side! :@ 

Designing wiper systemics is a bit of a complex problem actually; it is primarily related to the proportions of the windshield, its height vs. length and length of the blade and so forth. I know that other cars from that era, like Triumph Dolomite and Jaguar XJs had also their wipers rotating the similar way, but it seems like that Rootes could have had them switched the other way around also, by moving the pivots and then changing the linkage on the passenger blade so that it could travel faster underneath the driver blade, they could have achieved a conventional wipe pattern. Am I missing something here? Cost perhaps? on FB there we suggestion that the heater-Box packaging was the reason behind this.

 

I would love to get your opinion on this! Cheers.

 

LHD Paykan 

 

RHD Hillman Hunter (Australian model)

 

 

And here are similar examples: 

 

 

[PaykanHunter]

Can I get some input on this please!.... 

[rml2345]

Are the scuttle pressings on the Paykan different to the Hunter? I can't tell whether they've changed it for LHD or just bodged the linkage to sweep the other way.

I'm sure there was a generation of Golf that had LHD wipers regardless of whether it was LHD or RHD. Also, Minis were drilled for either and a bung inserted in the empty holes.

[PaykanHunter]

Are the scuttle pressings on the Paykan different to the Hunter? I can't tell whether they've changed it for LHD or just bodged the linkage to sweep the other way.

I'm sure there was a generation of Golf that had LHD wipers regardless of whether it was LHD or RHD. Also, Minis were drilled for either and a bung inserted in the empty holes.

The grille in front of the windshield, have blank areas for both LHD & RHD. 

[r.welfare]

A lot of European stuff (BMWs and Renaults) of recent times have wipers set up for LHD.  Mk2 Golf's definitely weren't set up for RHD until the '88 facelift.

 

Perhaps a more Autoshite worthy subject is the demise of the single wiper.  Seems like only yesterday that Mercedes were championing it - with their complicated linkage - and it was fitted to vehicles as diverse as the Fiat Uno to the Jaguar XJ6.

[Squire_Dawson]

The single wiper, yes indeed. Also the vacuum wiper, very old cars with very loud wiper motors, wipers which do not park themselves and wipers which are arranged in the split windscreen fashion with a 6" blade.

[Rocket88]

vacuum wipers were a cheapskate solution that bordered on the the laughably dangerous.........the faster you accelerated, the slower the wipers went.....

[dollywobbler]

Early 2CVs had wipers driven by the speedo cable. Speed-sensitive windscreen wipers!

 

LHD Hunters had RHD wipers confusingly, as did Doloposhites. Dyane always had RHD wipers but the GS always had LHD ones!

 

Triumph 2000 had LHD wipers but Aussie spec ones had specially-built RHD wipers. There is much wiper oddness in the world. Single wipers give the worst of both worlds.

[twosmoke300]

My wife always complains that when she is a passenger in my ducato van she can't see bugger all as the wiper misses the whole top left corner of the screen.

Can't do right for doing wrong eh.

[Parcgwyn]

RHD Hunters appear to have LHD wipers and LHD Hunters appear to have RHD wipers fitted. My first car was a Hunter GT and the wipers always left an unswept area at the top right of the screen.

[Skizzer]

I'm sure there was a generation of Golf that had LHD wipers regardless of whether it was LHD or RHD.

Early Mk2s. I *think* they changed it for the facelift when they ditched the front quarterlights.

 

Thank God, someone else who remembers such utter, utter trivia.

[PhilA]

For the USA market, the Sherpa Coupe had the wipers reversed, but I think the screen wasn't as tall so they opted to add a third wiper in order to be able to adequately clear the entire screen.

 

 

--Phil

[Squire_Dawson]

Now that is a winning arrangement - 3 wiper Coupe!

[AnthonyG]

Early Marinas had the wipers all set for LHD, even the ones for RHD markets. The reason escapes me, probably a classic BL combination of very little money and even less time spent getting it to market. Not sure when it was rectified.