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Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:36 am
by Rob Bell
I am starting to see spin-offs from the Project Shed track car - and this is one of them! A single wiper conversion :D

I couldn't take the Shed, as it still doesn't have an engine (yet!), so I took my usual F up for building the prototype with Nick at Storm wipers. I have to say that I am delighted with the result (see attached image)

The mechanism is beautifully smooth, and wipes the full arc of the screen. The attached image shows the wiper intentionally parked vertically on the screen for photographic purposes, but actually parks Lotus-Elise-like to the passenger side (this can be altered pretty easily by moving the position of the motor cam on its spindle). Only fitted yesterday afternoon, so no rain on screen yet, but a wash-wipe at 80 didn't result in the usual judder of the standard wipers due to aerodynamic lift...

The cost is 65 quid from their ebay shop - and really is very easy to fit, with just a little air-gun action to the airbox to clear the mechanism at full sweep (if you have one of the later TFs with the smaller airbox, then you've not even got this to consider)

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:37 am
by James Curgenven
Oh God, why? :thumbsd:

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:39 am
by Rob Bell
Nick is quite happy for the register to apply for a group buy - he's going to let me know prices. I'll start a thread on the members' classified section so if you're interested, add your name, and I'll get you more details :)

James, why not? ;) Makes sense for the track car - this will have the wash-wipe built into the wiper. Keeping it on the road car for the time being - it's growing on me, and it is certainly different! :)

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:52 am
by James Curgenven
Meh, horses for courses I suppose. It's one thing that's always put me off buying certain types of Mercedes :lol:

That and the price tag anyway :)

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:53 am
by Green Squirrel
Rob

What is the advantage of this? And what is this air-gun/box you talk of?

Ted

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:00 am
by Rob Bell
James, yes you're absolutely right - horses for courses.

Ted, the advantages? Better sweep, less weight, the linkage is indestructible by the looks of things. First impressions are that it suffers less than standard wipers from aerodynamic lift.

Disadvantages are that there is now an unswept area in the top right corner of the windscreen - not sure how irritating that will be, but less of a problem on the circuit-racing Project Shed, as the seating position on that car will be a good bit lower than standard.

The airbox is the passenger side airbox for the interior heater. Just need to heat up the side of the box and push it in slightly to clear the cantilever mechanism - you get a bit of a feel for the new mechanism from the picture attached below:

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:01 am
by Rob Bell
Air box is somewhat out of shot to the far right of this image.

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:15 pm
by ppo
I suppose, it won't work on an LH-driven TF.

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:55 pm
by adrianclifford
Pascal, of course it will (and you know this car).

Image

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:25 pm
by ppo
But on LH-driven car the whole wiper mechanisme is the other way round. The wiper motor for exemple isn't on the right side as on Rob's photo, but on the left side. Also the airbox for the heater is on the other side. There also 2 different wiper mechanism enumerated in the EPC:
DKD100450 - Mechanism-windscreen wiper - RHD -
DKD100440 - Mechanism-windscreen wiper - LHD -

I had a single wiper conversion kit on my LH-driven Rover Coupé. The company based in England had to change their kit ( developed for RH-driven cars ) to make it fit and operate correctly on my Coupé.

This happens when you drive on the wrong side of the road :lol:

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:37 pm
by adrianclifford
Pascal, I don't know how he has done it, but as you can see, it is done (along with the gull wing doors too).

Maybe Erik can contact him for you and put you in touch.

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:23 pm
by Rob Bell
You're right, the mechanism I have is for RHD - but I guess we could get Nick to come up with a solution for LHD? As the MGF is basically symmetrical in the way that the bulk head was pressed to ease conversion from RHD to LHD, the mechanism would only need to be reversed for something suitable to be made :)

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:17 pm
by Bruno
The car is from one of our members from mgf.be. His name is Miquel, his alias on the forum is "Sunday online". you can always Pm him if you want true mgf.be, or I can give you his E-mail adres.

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:56 am
by ppo
@Bruno
Thanks for the info.

@Rob
Could you please investigate if Nick could make an LHD version, and for which costs.
Thanks.

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:49 am
by Andrew Regens
I like it BUT worry about the bit it does not clear on the top right hand corner.

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:50 am
by Rob Bell
I'm going to find out about that over the coming months Andrew, as I share that concern. For the Project Shed track car I am less concerned, as the seating position will be that much lower... :)

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:25 am
by James Curgenven
Gull Wing doors on an F would be interesting to see :lol:

Those would be Scissor (AKA Lambo) doors :thumbsu:

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:08 pm
by Kasper
James Curgenven wrote:Gull Wing doors on an F would be interesting to see :lol:

Those would be Scissor (AKA Lambo) doors :thumbsu:
They were there at the 2008 Kempenrit:
This car is a write off by now (ex 110% Rockford) the hinges are now on SundayOnline (unfortunately no picture available)

Image

(Sorry Rob this is seriously OFF TOPIC)

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:20 pm
by James Curgenven
Just to clarify, Gull Wing doors are the ones that open up from the bottom and lift upwards pivoted on the roof. Which is why I said it would be fun to see :lol:

Re: Single wiper conversion for the MGF/TF!

Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 1:21 pm
by Kasper
:?


:lol: :lol: :lol: