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Stormwipers BA single wiper conversion (56k warning)
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Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Stormwipers BA single wiper conversion (56k warning)
Okay, okay, so it was me all along, which might surprise some of you ;)

With big, BIG thanks to Adam (Hull BA) I spent my day today at Stormwipers Worcester HQ with director Nick Sanders, a top TOP bloke, and a fab engineer to boot :thumbright:

I know there's been some mixed opinion on single wipers on the forum, and even I was only 75% sure last night, but I have to say, I am totally bowled by the results of our (mostly Nicks) hard work today :D:D:D

The day started just before 11am, when I rocked up, and finished just after 6pm, involving much measuring, testing, discussing and two different designs :D

We started off with design 1, using the existing centre-ish wiper mount, but having fabbed up the whole mechanism, we decided it just didn't sit or look right, and the sweep wasn't ideal either :?

So, onto design 2 :D

Using an existing square hole usually used to hold a plastic tab for screwing down the plastic cover, we enlarged it to take the spindle and Nick created a nice strong bracket to firm it all up, now its even stronger than the OE mounts, the spindle uses the 'screw hole' in the plastic cover, slightly enlarged as well, and looks very neat, all the OE holes are covered with nice big grommets :D:D

Nick decided on a combination of an 18" banana wiper arm, and a 22" blade, to give us a total sweep of 28" from the spindle, which takes the tip of the blade to just shy of the A pillar on either side and just clears my sunstrip :thumbright:

The arm at rest, sits almost flat and slightly lower than the origional arms :D I have it at rest on the passenger side, but it can easily be adjusted to sit on the drivers side, or if you so wish, vertical, touring car stylee ;)

Nick was also kind enough to fit one of his new design blade mounted washer jet systems, which I have to say, works a bloody treat :D:D

All in all, a very, very enjoyable and satisfying day, can't thank Nick enough for all his hard work and innovation, Adam (again) for setting it up, and Nicks girlfriend for the wonderful chicken tikka salad sarnies and potato pie :thumbright:

As for the quality of the kit, well, you all know i'm a fussy bugger, and I am WELL impressed with the quality of materials and craftsmanship, and as Nick demostrated today, the thorough professionalism in his work :D:D

Now then, time for the pics (phone pics so excuse the quality), here's some stills of the mechanism and finished wiper kit (bear in mind, this is the prototype and the production kit will be properly coated against the elements, not that I have any worries, since mines sprayed with Nicks wonder zinc paint)......

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Linkage, sparayed and ready to fit.

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Centre bracket and half of the linkage in place and ready to be bolted up.

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Linkage in place and bolted up.

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Plastic cover back on and spindle showing through a nice neat small hole :D

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Wiper in place at rest, gotta say, it looks great :D

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Yup, it does look like it was supposed to be there :D:D:D

And here's a short clip of it in action.....
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Proper Job :D:D:D

So, whats the damamge then guv'nor, i hear you ask ;)

Well. the kit is going to be priced at £99.99, and there will be discounts for both Gold Club members and normal members, Gold Club members getting a better discount (more incentive for you lot to pay up and join the Gold set ;) )

I will confirm the discounts in the morning with Nick :D

Also, the washer jet system (as used on TVRs) is available for £4.99 each and will fit normal wiper blades/arms, but you'll need two ;)

There's also a new 'Smoove' cover for the arm if you want, at about £20, i'll confirm that price tomorrow too :D:D

As a last footnote, Nick really knows his wiper stuff, he designed the wiper linkages for the TVR Cerbera, Tuscan and Sagaris, hows that for a recommendation :thumbright:
Author:  Biggsey [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
sweet andy! good job! i miss my single wiper of my ax, though f does hav its advantages lol! will it be long b4 they hav ready to sell, coz wudnt mind goin single again
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'll check with Nick tomorrow chap :D
Author:  parvez [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Bloody hell mate - looks awesome! Envy you now gettin that for free :lol: Thought I was the first one with the BA replying to Adam's thread in the gold members section but obviously not :D Well done dude :thumbleft:
Author:  Ronin (Adam) [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Looks spot on Andy :). You can tell it's professionally fit
Author:  stuartspel [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
Gotta say I'm impressed, nice write up too fella. Guess you'll be looking for a 22" PIAA blade now huh.............................
Author:  Dai [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
yeah because the sponsors sticker appears in the pictures before the wiper blade ;)

looks great and sounds great!
Author:  JAM [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Niiiice one Andy..... Top Mod, Top work too :thumbright:
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
stuartspel wrote:
Gotta say I'm impressed, nice write up too fella. Guess you'll be looking for a 22" PIAA blade now huh.............................


:drunken: tee hee, how did you guess ;)

Nicks blades are pukka tho, works absolutly fine, AND you can fit aero blades to it :D:D
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
Dai wrote:
yeah because the sponsors sticker appears in the pictures before the wiper blade ;)

looks great and sounds great!


Sorry, i got carried away ;)
Author:  Neil F [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
:cheers: Looks great Andy, looks like its come from the factory like that!!! :D
Author:  richardesty [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
Looks like a nice bit of kit mate - decent quality.

Maybe not to my liking, although I may change my tune when I realise my sunstrip covers all of those unwiped bits :evil4:
Author:  Murray [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
not my thing, but looks great quality, love where you stuck that sticker though, great contrast from the black and white :cyclopsani:
Author:  errnee [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
looks good ! but I was expecting it to sit in the centre of the screen But like I said looks good and very well made!
AND also a good price as Mazda charde my dad over £100 of a standard linkage.
GOOD JOB.
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:39 pm ]
Post subject: 
errnee wrote:
I was expecting it to sit in the centre of the screen


It can easily adjust to sit there chap :thumbright:
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
richardesty wrote:
I may change my tune when I realise my sunstrip covers all of those unwiped bits :evil4:


You know i DID mention that to Nick as it goes chap :thumbleft:
Author:  Mr Doe [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Looks good Andy, the bloke done good job! :)
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
JAM wrote:
Top work too :thumbright:


It WAS mostly Nick, I enlarged the hole, with a file and drilled the holes, and I did manage to come away with some nice cuts and scrapes, and a cracking bruise on my head ;)
Author:  Matt [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
in my opinion not my cup of tea - but well made :thumbright:

i cant place my finger on what it is i dont like yet - i like the idea of it though


with those on wiper washers - when do they start and stop spraying??

do you end up spraying off your screen as the wiper comes over to the drivers side??
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
Barelyhuman wrote:
i cant place my finger on what it is i dont like yet


LMAO, make something up then :drunken:

Barelyhuman wrote:
with those on wiper washers - when do they start and stop spraying??


Er.... when you let go of the button :laughing6:

Sorry chap, couldn't resist ;)

Barelyhuman wrote:
do you end up spraying off your screen as the wiper comes over to the drivers side??


Nope, nope and nope :D:D

In fact, I forgot to mention, an important design flaw has been solved :D:D

As we all know, if you happen to open your window a crack when its raining, you end up with a presistant dribble of water all over the window controls and your leg, NOT ANYMORE :D:D:D
Author:  GOGOBROOM [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
nice Job there Andy :D .. looking good ...

Again as I told you the other night, not reallymy thing but still a good mod for those that beleive there "should be only ONE" ;)

Be good to see it in the flesh .... by the way a donation of your old PIAA blades to me would be good :P
Author:  Murray [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
GOGOBROOM wrote:
by the way a donation of your old PIAA blades to me would be good :P


damn! why didn't i think of that! :clown:
Author:  Hairy Bob [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Glad it all went well buddy, looks absolutely fantastic and actually quite similar to how i did mine!

Cheered me up to hear it went so well, and I'm glad you like it! I ws so sure it'd look good on her, and I think Nick's proved me right!

Ad
Author:  andym323 [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
GOGOBROOM wrote:
.... by the way a donation of your old PIAA blades to me would be good :P


Cheeky bugger :D:D:D LMAO, I actually feel a pang of affection for them i've had 'em so long ;)

Hull_BA wrote:
Glad it all went well buddy, looks absolutely fantastic and actually quite similar to how i did mine!

Cheered me up to hear it went so well, and I'm glad you like it! I ws so sure it'd look good on her, and I think Nick's proved me right!

Ad


Pleasure was all mine mate :thumbright: Many, many thanks for thinking of me, i owe you one :notworthy:
Author:  Mark.T [ Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:28 am ]
Post subject: 
Nice innovation and design work ... not the first, but great all the same to have it accessible to the masses ;)

:thumbright:


Mark
Author:  mazz [ Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
Deffo cant wait for tomorrow now mate! that looks like the mutts nuts!!
Author:  Hairy Bob [ Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
Looking forward to seeing the results, Mazz!
All I gotta do now is find a BJ for Nick to work on, then my mission is complete...!

Ad
Author:  Unicorn [ Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
i just noticed this topic, a strange coincidence, i've finishe designing mine, the only mods needed are a 10MM hole drilled, and a hole drilled in the scuttle, and im taking the plans to a machinist tomorrow :D
Author:  andym323 [ Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:14 am ]
Post subject: 
Like to see how thats going chap :thumbright:

Had the chance to take some better pics now, even managed to lock myself out of the car for over an hour, on the coldest day of the year :oops:

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:thumbright:
Author:  andym323 [ Fri Jan 26, 2007 3:11 am ]
Post subject: 
And here's a vid of it in action, better quality now :thumbright:

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