VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 '30 or '31 wiper?

If a '30 wiper in a '31 car was a true factory modification, I would expect to find no evidence of a trim plate, control knob or hole in the header board or original upholstery. We have seen that Chevrolet management was paying close attention to small details. Any such factory change of production thorough enough to fill in a tiny hole would not neglect these changes as well. And I would expect to find some mention of this modification in Chevrolet Service News or in the Master Parts Book.

I replaced the original header upholstery panel several years ago, but I honestly can't remember if there was a "hole" in it (other than the VV crank and the mirror mount).
In curiosity, I recently removed this upholstery panel to look. I'm not really sure what I'm looking for, but there is no hole, slot or wear marks on the wood. (I assume the control rod went between those two pieces of wood?) And there are no empty screw holes where I think the wiper control escutcheon would have been.

Again, I appreciate the wealth of experience and knowledge here, and I wasn't intending to start a heated argument. I'm content to leave it alone now. Rest, ye merry gentlemen.

From the Chevrolet Master Parts Price List, March 1, 1935:

Motor, Wiper (Hose Connection at Bottom of Motor) 1929-31
p/n 359232

Motor, Wiper (Passenger Cars) 1931
p/n 465837

Valve Assembly, Wiper Control (In Instrument Panel) 1929-31
p/n 344865

Screw, Wiper Control Valve (In Instrument Panel) 1929-31
p/n 342873

From the February 1, 1931 edition of the Chevrolet Master Parts Price List:

Motor, Wiper (except cabriolet) (hose connection at bottom of motor) (sedan delivery only Series AE). 1929-31, Part Number 354926.

Motor, Wiper, (passenger cars), 1931, Part Number 365837.

Valve Assembly, Wiper Control (In Instrument Panel), 1929-31 Part Number 344865. **

** Note: For 1931, this valve assembly would be used with the above 1931 sedan delivery wiper motor only.

Pipe, Wiper Control Valve to Manifold (sedan delivery only Series AE), 1930-31, Part Number 357667.

While not wanting to add to the pros or cons, I understand the bodies were made by Fisher and shipped to the assembly line primed (someone more knowledgeable than me can edit this and following logic track). They were then painted in paint shop appropriate color scheme before setting on chassis. If a hole was to be brazed in, it would have to be done before any paint was applied to avoid a lot of work refinishing header panel. If I was a plant engineer and planned to use a'30 wiper mechanism on some early models (using up old inventory), I would have contemplated a future owner would want to use proper '31 wiper at some point, and would have simply put a decent rubber plug (or similar plug)in the 1/8" hole. Going to all the trouble of filling, etc seems inefficient.
Having said that, what if first run of cars were ready to roll off line but wiper supply was not yet ready? I would check the job numbers for the above cars perchance they were among very first models off line, and if they were, then the debate may still be worth carrying on even if a definitive answer is not likely.

In the 1935 book there are three separate listings for the wiper motor, one for 1931 passenger cars (365837), another for a 1931 Sedan Delivery, and another one for 1929-31 passenger cars (359232) with hose connection at the bottom of the motor and with the same part number. It does not say Sedan Delivery only.

The '31 Sedan Delivery (and early '32 SD for that matter) were a special case. The body was essentially a '28 Sedan Delivery (very similar to '28 Coach) with replaced lower rear body panels to accommodate the 2" longer wheelbase chassis. There are several other unique parts to the Sedan Deliveries. Right Joe?

Chipper...You got that right....Joe

The 1935 parts book is a little removed from 1931 since many of the parts listed in the 1935 parts book were retro-fitted and many of the part numbers and applications were changed. For more accurate information a parts book closest to the year in question should be used as a reference, so in this case the parts books published in 1931 would probably be more helpful with the wiper motor issue.