hello, i've fitted a new front panel on my van, and only just discovered (last job) that the window wipers don't fit! checking them against the old panel they seem to be in a different place.. at first i panicked and thought the panel was for a left hand drive van, and i was in real trouble! however after looking at many pictures, the new panel seems to be the same as most peoples. and while looking on the just kampers site they say "This fits all Bay Vans 1969–1979 except some Australian imports" in the description of new wiper arms.. My van was indeed an aussi import, so do you think this is the problem? and would it be fixed by just buying new wiper arms? I had a full on panic attack when i thought i was going to have to cut the front of the van again!
So it's an aussie import? All the others are the wrong way round. Either get a UK wiper mech, or sort the holes.
i had just kind of worked that out! (hence the edit) thankyou! for putting my mind at rest, i was having a bit of a panic.. ;D
i do still have them, but i think getting new arms and changing it to uk spec would make sense? what do you think? am i right in thinking i would need the motor/mechanism as well.
ausie spec is vastly superior as it actually wipes the drivers side properly. owt else is lhd that vw couldnt be bothered to sort.
i was pretty confused by the fact the wiper will miss so much, hence my original assumption id used a right hand drive panel, but lazy as it might sound, im just going to get uk wipers rather than go through all the cutting sanding welding filling and spraying again . . thankyou for the help!
I don't think it's just aussie vans, i worked on a westie a few years ago, and it had the wipers the wrong way round but it had been imported straight to england from westfalia. It did have an odd code on the m plate though, i think it was something to do with it going through a military port or something as though it was imported by a squadie. I swapped the wiper mech for a 'normal' one though because i changed the front panel. The original panel had four pressings where the spindles come through the front instead of two, and the two not used were blanked.
I have an Aussie one in the workshop like that - 4 holes and blanks. Owner has the orginal arms and mech though so it's staying like that. Very cool I thought.
yes in hindsight i would definitely have kept it . . however if anyone would like to swap an aussie mech and chrome arms for english/standard fitting ones i would be more than happy to trade?
i also have the old bit's of the front panel with the 4 holes, although the windscreen was a speedbump away from falling out it was so rusty, but it might be useful for someone? just to measure even?
Isnt one of the reasons the Aussie vans are different is that some of the panels were made in Australia to go with kits sent out from Germany, so VW in Europe would never have had the RHD panels.
The only problem with Australian "RHD" specification windscreen wipers, is that replacement wiper arms are NO LONGER AVAILABLE, even in Australia, unless one stumbles across some NOS items.
