Help with windhsield decision

I have 2 windshields and after reading the tech article on here about them I'm still not quite positive on what I've got and which one is the better option.

The first windshield has the lower wiper but the motor is on the inside. There is a large hole on the exterior on the driver side. My understanding is that this is where the wiper motor should be. Maybe I'm wrong. The good (from what I understand) is that the lower wiper mount is preferrable. The bad is that the lower piece on the inside is bent (but fixable) and someone has replaced the glass with plexiglass.





The other option is (I think) the earlier style. The funny thing to me is that it actually looks like a nicer piece. The inside is smooth rather than just a frame and the glass is intact. It has light surface rust and no wipers. It looks like there are holes on top for wipers.





So is it wiser to keep the lower wiper mount and have glass installed (and do some work on the lower frame? Or is it better to go with the one that has glass and track down wipers. This will be a fair weather jeep with no top. I'll still need wipers for mud and water holes though. Sources for wiper motors and blades and/or glass would be appreciated too.

 

The black windshield is a '69-75 type. The motor on the inside was added later. The original motor was in a cover on the outside, where the big hole is. You are missing the motor and the wiper linkage that is inside the bottom of the windshield. That's a problem, because the linkage is not easy to source. You used to be able to buy replacement linkage made from the later parts, but I can't fnd the source for that at the moment.

The late windshield frame is worth having as a replacement part, since the OEM frames are better quality than the imported replacement. But building up a complete windshield from replacement parts is not likely to be cost effective.

The white windshield is an early windshield that would have had motors mounted at the top.

 

For the early one you could look at electric 12v. marine wipers from a boat supply. Better quality than some aftermarket electric.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but your early w/s seems to have been converted from a ventilating type. (I don't see original pattern wiper mount holes. They were mounted on the swinging section of a vent w/s.) Desirable. Maybe you can work a trade in the classifieds.

 

Your right the second one with the smaller piece of glass is from about 55-68 and has top inside mounted twin wiper motors. The first one is the later of the two with the curved shaped glass at the top of the frame , 69-75 vintage. And your also correct the wiper motor should be on the outside bottom in front of the driver.........this wiper system with the correct wiper linkage inside is better than the earlier version...........but what makes that windshield more attractive is the larger viewing area.........if your 5'8" and above with the early narrowed glass windshield you almost have to bend over a little to see things that are just a few degrees higher in vision plane than the top............The later windshield will fit directly on any early CJ............Personal preference!

 

If you are looking for least cost maybe you could remove the electric motor from the black windshield and use it on the gray one (if it works). Then add another electric or manual to the other side.

I am 5'6" and the older style (gray one) certainly does limit your vision especially at a stop light. The gray one is the correct year for your 67 if that matters to you.

 

The originality is not important to me. I'm 5'10" so it sounds like the late model will be the way to go. I may try the transfer of the motor until I can round up parts for the late model. I might put both on the classified section as a WTT for a single complete unit too.

 

original 1968 windshield. I have seen linkage parts on ebay and http://thejeep.com/shop/HARD+PARTS/...ARTS/?osCsid=696407e261a1ea7c9f54cd14e36ebe46

 

Where in Fresno? I graduated from Fresno Hi in '59, my wife Roosevelt in '59. We lived on E. Nevada where my sister still lives today.

 

The '68 WS shown above is the same as the '69-75 except that it uses the smaller rectangular glass.

AFAIK the '69-75 parts for the wiper linkage are not being reproduced. The catalogs list parts for the '76 and later windshields, but these linkage pieces are the wrong length for the earlier WSs. If you can weld, you can buy the later parts and modify them so that they will work in the earlier WSs. Someone used to sell those parts already modified - George's Jeep Parts? Maybe they are gone?.

 

Tim, I have a 70 and pulled parts from a 79 (both DJs, but I thin kthe parts are the same as the CJ)

I put the wiper linkage from the 79 into the 70 and it seems to fit ok. I have not hooked up the motor, but mocked it up and it looked like it would fit and operate the linkage properly. The motor I want to use is the 79 motor along with the bracket that holds the motor and bolts to two of the 8 dashboard hold down bolts. This keeps the motor inside where it always should have been (the 70 DJ had serious rot below the windshield partially because the cover for the outside mounted motor is very difficult to keep sealed).

In sum, I want to use a 79 linkage and 79 motor in a 70 windshield frame.

So, you're saying the linkage from the 79 will be different length than the 70? I'll pull the linkage back out and compare the two. I can cut and weld if necessary. The 79 is in better shape- not as beat as just about everything on the 70 was.

The 79 also has 4 wires on the motor versus only 3 on the 70 motor. I'll post some pics and ask some questions about that later.

 

I know exactly where that is. There's still a lot of original residents over there. I'm further north near Bullar High School. Small world.