56 Wiper Control Cable Substitute

[stzomah]

I have a sticky wiper control cable.  It's been that way for 40 years.  I had it out of the car a year ago and soaked it in oil for 3 days.  Thought it was good but now it's stuck again.  I'd like to replace it.  Anyone use a cable from a 56/57 Chevy?  Are they the same length?  Do they connect up through the dash to the knob?  They have a single vacuum outlet for washer control and the little round thingy on the cable end that moves the vacuum motor slider.  It looks like it may work but the Chevy ones are expensive to buy to find out they don't work.  Thanks in advance!

[J. Gomez]

Wayne,

I’m not 100% sure if the Chevy ones have the same length cable as the one for the Cadillac’s, although the control itself looks to be the same. 

I rebuilt a few controls and as long as the control shaft tooth are good the rest can be refurbished.

You will need to remove the vacuum section and most likely would need to get a new rubber washer as well. The shaft and brass piece attached to the control cable can be view once the vacuum piece is out.

The control cable can be removed from the shield after you remove the washer at the end. Rotating the shaft allows the brass piece come out.

If the control cable or the shield are bad these can also be replace although it will take a bit of reversed engineering to get new ones in.   

Good luck..!