64 wiper blades

[Rex T.]

What blades are correct for a Feb 64 built car? I have NOS Trico and Anco blades in the original GM boxes part nos 3941969 and 3779741 respectively.

[Mike L.]

Re: 64 wiper blades

I would use the Trico's

[Peter L.]

Re: 64 wiper blades

Rex - From what I have seen on '64 Corvettes on the Judging Field, 15" TRICO windshield wiper blades (TRICO p/n PR-15) with the flat top, polished finish holders and the refills with the "skidposts," i.e. dots, along the side of the refill rubber wiper "rule."

That's not to say ANCO wiper blades weren't used on '64 Corvettes, but I'm not aware of anyone having done any research to confirm the use of ANCO wiper blades on '64 Corvettes; but I can tell you that both ANCO and TRICO supplied wiper blade assemblies that were used on '65, '66' and '67 Corvettes.

Pete

[David L.]

Re: 64 wiper blades

Rex,

I agree with Pete. The 3779741 wiper blades (15 5/32" long, ANCO) are listed in my 1964 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (Oct. 1963) for 1963-1964 Corvettes but I have some doubt that they were actually used in the production line but who really actually knows except for the guys on the actual assembly line. The 3941969 wiper blades did NOT exist in 1964. If you want I could trace the 3941969 part number history.

If you look in Noland Adam's 1963-1967 restoration book on page 126 you will see a photo of a prototype or pilot-line 1963 Corvette with shiny ANCO wiper blades on it. Also in the photo you will see that the master cylinder is a 1963 Chevrolet passenger type, not the 7/8" 1963 Corvette type. We at least know that there was at one pair of shiny ANCO wiper blades in the Corvette factory in the Summer of Fall of 1962.

In 1987 I bought an "early" 1963 Corvette split window coupe made in October 1962, #1450. I bought it because it had never been in a crash, all original fiberglass except for an Eckler's hood. The hood was changed by the previous owner because it had a scoop on it, not from damage. The wiper blades on it were the shiny ANCO type (GM # 3799741). I strongly believe that they were original equipment because of the photo in Noland Adam's book and I still believe that the shiny ANCO blades were at least used on the "early" 1963 Corvettes. Back it the 1960's and 1970's it was very common just to replace just the rubber inserts and keep the original wiper blade holders.

Dave

[David L.]

Re: 64 wiper blades

Rex,

The part number for the 14 7/8" Trico wiper blades listed for the 63-65 Corvettes in my 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969 (Oct. 1968) Chevrolet parts catalogs is 3819071.

My 1969 Corvette Parts Catalog (Sept. 1969) lists 3941969 as the 14 7/8" Trico wiper blades for the 1963-1965 Corvettes.

For some reason my 1965-1973 Chevrolet Parts History manual does not show this part number change which is very unusual.

Dave

[Jack H.]

Re: 64 wiper blades

Let's see if I remember this correctly...

My recollection is the wiper blade PN used in production differs from that used in service. Why? Service sold blades in qty 1 lots. Production used them in qty 2 lots.

We pretty much agree that '63-65 blades were identical (except for the specific stamping on the blade's bayonet receiver--CAN 63 or not). Curiously, the factory PN for the package of two blades changed on AIM date 8/13/64: 3830603-> 3871085. Might that have been the time Trico and Anco were treated as equal substitutes?

[David L.]

Re: 64 wiper blades

Jack,

The part numbers for the 1963-1965 Corvettes and the 1963-1965 Chevrolets has always been confusing.

1963, 1964, and 1965 Corvette assembly manuals:
3830603 to 3871085 (ANCO) on 8/13/63

1963, 1964, and 1965 Chevrolet assembly manuals:
1963 & 1964: 3779741 (ANCO)
1965: 3866190 (ANCO) to 3871085 (ANCO) on 8/25/64
1963: 3819071 (Trico) to 3837832 (Trico) on 9/20/62
1964 & 1965: 3837832 (Trico)

The part numbers in the 1963, 1964, and 1965 Chevrolet parts catalogs:
1963-1965 Chev. & Corvette: 3819071 (Trico)
1963-1964 Chev. & Corvette and 1965 Chev. & Corvette (1st Design): 3779741 (ANCO)
1965 Chev. & Corvette: 3866190 (ANCO)

After collecting hundreds of wiper blades from 1963-1967 junk yard cars back in the 1980's I have noticed that the "shiny" Trico 15" passenger side wiper blades on 1963-1965 Chevrolet passenger cars have a substantial curvature (see photo). The driver's side wiper blades on these cars are the same as the 1963-1965 Corvette "shiny" Trico 15" wiper blades.

I believe that the 3830603 blade as shown in the 1963 & 1964 Corvette assembly manuals is an ANCO wiper blade but I have no documentation. The actual drawing of the wiper blade in these assembly manuals is of an ANCO wiper blade, NOT a Trico wiper blade.

Dave