windshield wiper arm restoration on 1957 Biarritz

[57CaddyBiarritz]

Hi-

I removed the windshield wiper arms from the car and realized that the arm itself is stainless steel, but the smaller piece that connects to the car is chrome.  Further, they're both connected by what appears to be a pivot rivet.  I'd like to polish the steel and re-chrome the other piece - any thoughts on how I can accomplish this?  Do I need to separate the two pieces?  If so, can it be done with out breaking the pivot rivet?  If the rivet breaks I'm not sure how I'd get it back together.  Attached is a picture of what I'm looking to separate

thanks,
John

[Walter Youshock]

You would have to disassemble everything.  There is a pressure spring that needs to be unclipped from the arm to the base.  You can just see it under the flat stainless cover that would be facing you from inside the car with the wipers on the car.  That cover is held on with tiny rivets that you'll never be able to replace so you have to pop it off without removing that delicate cover.  I used hemostats and also tied a piece of wire to the end of the spring otherwise, you'll never get it back on.

Now the chrome mounting end is flopping around on the arm.  If you want to separate the stainless arm from the chrome end, you have to destroy the rivet.  Carefully grind down one end and remove the rivet.  The 2 chrome pieces are held together with a "C" clip on a spring-loaded shaft.  You have to remove the clip to separate the parts.  Getting them back together is HORRIBLE!  I ground a small notch in the peg so I could use a small screwdriver as a lever and get the clip back on.

As far as rechroming--best to ask the shop before they do anything.  Once the shop starts grinding, stripping and plating, it will alter the clearances of the parts and you may have trouble getting the wipers back on the transmissions.  If the splines in the wiper mount part are messed up, the wiper may not go on OR the transmission could strip what's left and the wiper won't move with the transmission...

[Jon S]

Are both arms shot or do you only need one?  I have an original in very good condition.

[57CaddyBiarritz]

both aren't bad, but one is worse than the other.  Can you send a pic?  I'd be interested...

[Jon S]

Here are 3 pictures I took this AM.  The arm has a very slight scratch which is why my dad bought a replacement one in 1958.  If you use it on the Driver's side, you will not see it.  Since the car was never driven in the rain, the cams are as new.  It is a Trico direct from a brand new car.

I have no idea what this is worth.  I hope the pictures attach as I've had problems attaching non WEB-based pictures.

Jon

[Roger Zimmermann]

Jon, your wiper arm is really good looking! Many years ago, I bought one or a pair (I don't remember) NOS arm(s) from Ted Holcombe; I don't remember the price either, but it was not cheap.

[Jon S]

Roger -

Thanks!  Actually the chrome on this arm looks slightly better than the ones on the car (which I would classify as mint). My son tells me to hold on to it since it is "part of the original car."  He found a pair of claimed NOS on Caddy Daddy's site for $583.50!

http://www.caddydaddy.com/1957-1858-Cadillac-Windshield-Wiper-Arms-p5672.html