FostersPerformance

I am almost done builing my 383 in my 88..

I need to know if the Proform slant edge valve covers will clear the wiper motor on an 88? The car has pulse/delay wipers.

Perimeter mounting. GM PP alum heads, Scorpion 1.5 roller rockers.

Im ordering as soon as i hear form someone. Thanks

PS- saw a guy on youtube with a 396 stroker and those valve covers, looked like they cleared fine, but wanna be sure

1985 Corvette

That was probably Dr. Huxtable's old 396 Vette. I have no idea how he got his to fit but his was an 89 and maybe the firewall was a little different? I have a set of the proforms and the wiper motor would not fit on the 85. Don't know if any C4s came with wiper motors that had a flat cover but that would help. I did a little research and found a random post from years ago that said the wiper motor could fit with proforms if you took the rubber bumpers off the mounting feet of the motor. Didn't help mine at all.

I ended up cutting the feet off and running a set of allen head bolts through the wiper housing (as far away from moving parts as possible) into new holes drilled into the plate behind the firewall. Even with that, it just barely fit but it brings the arm on the motor very close to the windshield when it's turning.

I believe it's also possible to get an old 80s Chevy Blazer wiper motor to fit but the mounting feet have to be cut off and welded in a different pattern to bolt up.

FostersPerformance

Dam.....ok thanks!

FostersPerformance

Update....they dont fit lol. Drivers side hits wiper motor like i knew it would..But only by a little bit. Seems like if i loose the pulse board it would clear no problem..Thing is, i cant find a cover (non pulse) for it....Does it even exist? Everywhere i look, the pulse board is available, but not for non...hmmm

I took feet off motor but still not enough. Close though (need another 1/4" maybe).

Gonna take board off motor today and see what i can do. Ill post updates with what i find.

Thanks

DanZ51

Hey '85, do you (or anyone else) have any more details on this? I thought it was an S10 Blazer (no idea what years). Would really like to see someone who has done this conversion...

1985 Corvette

I tried a quick google search and it didn't come up. It must be buried in a forum I looked into during google searches in the past. I remember, we had a forum member by the name of "Fubar" who did a BBC conversion in his C4. He used a K20 Blazer and cut and rewelded the feet on it at the right clocked angles to bolt in like a C4 wiper motor.

I believe the year for the wiper motor is 85 - 91 and I have heard the S10 wiper motors are also doable. The K20s always seem to be the go to for a compact motor even in other hotrods with big block valve covers.

FostersPerformance

Plastic cover leaves no room to take material off. So that leaves the valve cover, but dont think there is enough meat there to shave off and clear.
Been looking at other motors. An 85 blazer (i think it was) looks like way too much work to adapt to vette.
Dont wanna loose these covers, love em. I will if i have to but for now its time to walk away as i have a thousand things to do to the car still....
As far as removing feet from motor, the housing is plastic i believe. So im thinking on that one.
85 vette, do you have any pics of your setup?
Thanks everyone...

FostersPerformance

And by feet i mean the housing itself where the rubber bushings fit in. Took bushings out, but didnt give me enough.

1985 Corvette

I’ll see if I can get a few pics tonight after work.

FostersPerformance

Ok, found a solution.....

THIS SOLUTION LOOSES THE PULSE ON THE WIPER

So after studying the wiring for the wipers and pulse, i took the cover off my wiper, and ran a ground wire to the case of the wiper assy. The only ground the wiper gets is through a wire going to the pulse board. Turned on wiper, and i have hi/low/ and mist. Park seems to work fine when you turn it off. Even in the FSM, if you have NOTHING working, the most likely problem is a bad pulse board. So if you have nothing, run a case ground to the wiper, and everything except pulse will work.

So my buddy got me a new wiper motor (mine is 30 years old, why take a chance for 45$). And would you know it, there is a ground strap going to case! So obviously they knew it was a problem, and a easy fix...

Attached pics of old and new motors...

So now all i have to do is make a cover thats flat, but in order to do that, the pin that sticks up to catch the pulse cam needs to be removed or cut out. Other option is to make a slightly taller cover to clear it..Another option is to use your gutted out pulse cover, then grind off what you need to clear, then make a plastic patch or whatever to keep it sealed good.....Either way, should have more then enough room now, even with using the rubber feet. I will know this weekend as ill get this all done finally...

Easy easy fix if you dont mind loosing pulse....

And the pink wire goes to washer pump from pulse board. Havent tried it yet, but once again, thats an easy fix..Mist on the switch does work also..

That was fun

FostersPerformance

Clearance issue. Tall, slant edge proform valve covers



Original 88 wiper motor.



Replacement....Notice the case ground strap.

FostersPerformance

Ill get pics this weekend after its installed to show how much clearance it has now....Thanks everyone, hope this helps!!!!

bill mcdonald

What is the "pulse"?

FostersPerformance

Pulse = Delay....Hate calling it pulse as well, but thats what its called. The cover circuit board is your pulse board.

I ended up cutting the original cover, fiberglassing it flat, finishing it, and painting black. When its done ill have some pics up. Getting the new wiper in a few days, maybe THIS weekend ill have it in with pics, but should have plenty of clearance now.

bill mcdonald

So it is off or on and always full speed all the time now?

I hit the cover once and broke mine. Didn't know about the ground strap deal, at the time the cover was like 90-100 bucks. I think I threw the old cover away.

FostersPerformance

Low/high/ mist works. Just not pulse/delay....

FostersPerformance

Cut off flat and fiberglassed and painted original cover.



Now has about 1/2 inch clearance.

FostersPerformance

And it has the rubber feet still on there as well..