VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans '49 Chevy Truck Windshield Washer Accessory ???

I'm working on an original 1949 Chevy 3100 1/2 ton truck restoration and have been trying to figure out what the original windshield washer system looked like. Pictures of washer bottles on Ebay are often slightly different from the '49 accessory manual illustration. Some include a dash mounter push button to dispense washer fluid but the accessory manual does not reveal any such switch. From the accessory manual it looks like fluid would be dispensed every time the wipers are active. A push button seems more reasonable but I've only seen such a setup in the '51 accessory manual. Can somebody please explain what options were available for the '49 truck? As always, your insight is very much appreciated.

The 1949 truck washer jar is the large round version with a smaller lid. The passenger car jar had the large lid which was the same size as the jar.
The truck jar size was the same as the passenger cars from 1040-1949. The pump for the truck sat on top of the lid.
My 1950 Accessory installation manual pictures the correct jar, sure it would be the same pictures they used in the 1949 issue.

OK, that's good information. So, if I understand correctly, the '49 washer should have a pump mounted on top of it.

I do not see any sort of switch in the '49 accessory manual, just the jar and how to installed it along with the hoses to the wipers and vacuum motor. This leaves one more questions....

Was the pump activated by a push button of maybe a foot switch?

The 1950 and prior trucks had the washer button mounted pointing downward on the bottom flange of the instrument panel.
During the 1951 model year a new type washer was sold for trucks. It was foot operared style. This did not require any pump in the jar.

I could send the 1950 instructions later tomorrow if nec....would need your email address for that.

It’s not real clear from the installation instructions in the installation manual, but it appears that the only truck option was for a manual washer? All I can pull out of the installation instructions is that the diaphragm give you one shot for each push of the button, was that the way they worked?

Mothertrucker’s picture shows the jar and a pump/valve/button assembly as separate items. I can’t make out the instructions or the part number very well but it looks different than the instructions in the 1950 Accessory Manual because it appears that the pump assembly with the valve and button are mounted to the face of the dash with the button facing in. As you said Gene, the manual shows the pump mounted atop the jar lid and the valve/button mounted under dash facing down.

I do seem to remember a rubber foot stomp bulb that would give you one shot every time you stepped on it but this was not connected to the engine vacuum just 100% manual bulb, about a simple as a turkey baster. Was this the 1951 option that you were referring to Gene?

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

The washer pictured is the 1951-1953 foot operated version. After that point there were several foot operated washers for trucks and cars also after 1956. For the cars they also offered the vacuum style and they were much more popular.
The jar for the 1950 and prior washer had a smaller cap on top. The jar pictured was just for the foot operated.
To operate the vacuum style the vacuum would draw up the piston, the cylinder would fill wit water and the return spring woul return the piston and push out the water. The piston would more or less displace the same amount of water each time, usually enough to clean the windshield of normal dirt. If not you just hit the button again.
Note in the 1950 instructions the button faces down and could not easily be seen by the driver. The hole must be drilled in the dash as per fig. 3-b. lower view - upper vies shows cross section of "instrument panel"
In 1951 both styles of washers were available. In 1952 the foot operated only. Either one was seldom seen on trucks.

I would of never thought that was available back then.I know it was available on cars of that era but the trucks seemd to have alot less accessories.

The washers were made by Trico. The first available was for 1938 and 1939 cars. Had square bottle.
The 1940 unit sold by Chevrolet (but made by Trico) was for cars and trucks. Had round bottle.
The unit for the 1947-1951 trucks and 1938-49 cars was the same Trico unit but with the necessary hardware and instructions to install it on all the above models. (not correct looking for 1938-39)