Question on C3 wipers

[William M.]

Based on the Judging Guide, I bought a pair of Trico wiper blade holders for my '73. The blade inserts, which are 16" long, now stick out 1/4"-1/8" on either side of the blade holder. The blade holders I took off the car didn't say "Trico", but seemed to fit much better.
Here are pictures of the Trico's:

[William M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Anyone? Or have I stumped you?

[Pat M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

The 16" inserts in the Trico holders on my 70 stick out about as much as yours, and I was never told in judging that this was incorrect.

[Jack H.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Hum, the lack of a 'Trico' emboss on the blade holder doesn't jive with my recollection. Here's a set of original blade holders filled with older NOS refill rubber from the era.

Since both the holders and the blades were all black, it's hard to see the relative size match, but my recollection is only the latch lock end portion of the refill overhangs the blade holder...

[Peter L.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

From your pictures, I'd say the refills in your TRICO holders don't appear to be TRICO refills or at least TRICO refills of the configuration that would have been originally used on a C3. Specifically, I'd be looking for the configuration with the Latch-Loc clips on one end of each refill.

The other option could be that the wiper holders you removed were ANCO brand and I believe some C3s came with ANCOs.

Pete

[Jack H.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Adding on to what Pete said, we know for SURE that back in the mid-year days the wiper arms were Trico and there were TWO suppliers for the blades (Trico and Anco). That's because the AIM books from that era called out two different PN's for the blades and for whatever specific reason assigned one to Trico and the other to Anco.

But, if memory serves, the dual supplier relation ended in the Shark era. I don't recall seeing two separate PN's for the wiper blades (I know there's only one PN called out for '71) which leads me to think Trico became the sole source...

Last, yes, these could be non-Trico blade holders and maybe non-Trico refills installed in them creating the relative length disparity. Both Trico and Anco made refill 'clone' products to service each others wiper blades.

[William M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

The blades themselves don't have any Trico markings, they're replacement, but they are 16" in length. The Trico blade holders I purchased are only about 15 1/2".
As far as the blade holders I removed, if they are ANCO wouldn't they say that?

[Pat M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

I think Pete and Jack are right, Trico holders and Trico inserts are the key to a correct fit.

My car now has modern Anco inserts in Trico holders, and they stick out about as much as William's inserts do on each side.

But when I pulled out some NOS inserts I use for shows and placed them in an extra set of Trico holders the fit was MUCH better, with the inserts only sticking out on one side barely over 1/4".

[William M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

O.K., so where does one find original style Trico blades?

[Peter L.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Please post a picture of the blade holders that you replaced and maybe someone can ID them. Pete

[Pat M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

I just measured several "16 inch" inserts. NOS Tricos measure exactly 16", modern Tricos measure 16 2/16", and modern Ancos measure 16 3/16".

So modern Tricos are pretty close. I think I got these at Carquest.

I got my NOS Trico inserts on Ebay.

[William M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Please post a picture of the blade holders that you replaced and maybe someone can ID them. Pete

Here's what came on the car. They differ from the Trico's I bought in that they're longer and have the tabs at the ends:

There's no manufacturer's name anywhere. They do have a number stamped inside one of the small arms of each blade holder

"185" is stamped inside the small arm where I'm pointing

[Harmon C.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Bill
The tabs on the ends of the holders in the pictures are not for the Latch-Loc system used on 73's. The design of the Latch-Loc needs room on the end of the holder for it to fit so they hang over the end of the holder. I know the holders are Trico on the ones you have and am !00% sure they are correct.

[William M.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Hum, the lack of a 'Trico' emboss on the blade holder doesn't jive with my recollection. Here's a set of original blade holders filled with older NOS refill rubber from the era.

Since both the holders and the blades were all black, it's hard to see the relative size match, but my recollection is only the latch lock end portion of the refill overhangs the blade holder...

The Trico's you have pictured are exactly like the Trico's I bought. According to the JG, Trico's were used on 1973's. It states that some 1974 cars are found with "ANCO" on the blade holders. My '73 was built 4/3/73. Can anyone identify the blade holders I removed? They are of a different configuration than the Trico's and have no manufacturer's name on them. Do Trico's and Anco's look different from each other?

[Jack H.]

Re: Question on C3 wipers

Those look to be today's Trico service replacement blade holders. Note they're thick at the center pivot attachment and narrow toward the blade holder ends. That tiny bit of difference in blade holder upper surface geometry can pose a fit/function problem with early Shark cars...

Since the washer tubes are integral to the arms, the tube raises over the blade on one side (RH) to put washer fluid down on the inside edge of the blade's rubber. The extra width at the peak of the blade holder can create an interference fit issue with the RH washer tube causing the assembled blade to sit taller on the glass than the factory original did. Sitting taller can wind up creating a top side interference between the blade and the wiper door during wiper shut down/parking operations.

That's one of the reasons I like to keep a handful of used factory original 16" Trico blade holders around. They fit and function better than either today's service replacement blades from Trico or 'clone' blades do.