anyone know what this is on this '54 Ford?

I think I've seen this '54 Ford for sale on eBay before:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954...ars_Trucks&hash=item23277fbf7f#ht_33495wt_768

I remember seeing this tin can in the engine bay in previous listings:



Anyone know what function this tin can could possibly be performing here? :confused:

 

Looks like a vacuum reservoir....I had one on a 69 GTO I had with vacuum operated hideaway headlights (just a tincan with one hose hooked to it to "store vacuum" so the headlights would close when engine wasn't running)...Dont know why a 54 Ford would need to have one???

Travis

 

I'm not sure, but I suspect it was added on as a vacuum reservoir for the vacuum wipers.
With a check valve, the reservoir allows the wipers to function under low vacuum (wide open throttle) conditions.

Originally, Ford used the "back" side of the fuel pump as a vacuum pump for the wiper motor; maybe they replaced the fuel pump with a later version that didn't have the vacuum port, so they had to come up with a way to maintain vacuum for the wipers while under heavy acceleration.

 

Wow...been a long time since I have worked on older cars...forgot all about vacuum wipers and running off the fuel pump...I would agree, thats what it is used for....

Thanks for making me feel really, really old ...haha

 

I probably should put one of those on my wagon...

 

Why are YOU feeling old? :confused:
I'm the old fart that recognized it!

 

My second car, other than my Model A project, was a 1954 Ford V-8. I can't remember whether or not it had that tank can or vacuum wipers. I really believe mine had electric wipers because they seemed to always work fine.
But I do remember that master cylinder right over the exhaust manifold. I'd replaced the plug wires and refilled the master cylinder earlier that weekend. Less than ten miles out of town headed to a campout brake fluid leaked onto the hot exhaust and burned up all the plug wires on the driver side. Someone overfilled the master cylinder and left the fill cap loose!.
:banghead3:Slept in a gas station that night.
So there old farts!
And I am familiar with vacuum wipers. Really fun when passing in heavy rain or climbing steep hills.

 

Thanks guys! I learned something new today ...

 

We can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

Because I knew about them.....but forgot ... At least it jogged your memory !!!

 

Here is a pic of a fuel pump with vacuumn wpers, I think electric where a option to early 6o,s ? 54 Y Block is the same cid as 53 flathead it replaced =239

 

Mine was a tudor Customline, dark blue with wide white walls and fender skirts. I shaved the doors, hood, and trunk lid.
So, it must have had vacuum wipers. I sure don't remember having any problems winter or summer in central Illinois with mine.
The 49 Dodge and other older cars were a pain to drive sometimes with vacuum wipers. I was even lucky with all my 55-57 Chevys to have electric wipers.
Can't remember the old Buicks from 1949 thru 1956. I'm thinking some of those had vacuum wipers and the hesitation problems. But driving was different back then.
My Model T had power wipers but only on the driver side. I'd reach up and move a tiny lever on the wiper arm back and forth to wipe the windshield.
Several 39 Fords with vacuum were terrible.
But the worse I ever drove was a Freightliner with air wipers.

 

I think it was mentioned in another post but might as well blabber about it again, American Motors held onto using vacuum wipers on some models all the way up to 1972.

http://www.wiperman.com/

 

That vacuum canister is an early General Motors unit, and I don't ever remember seeing a similar one used on any other corporate brand of cars. In all probability, it was added by an owner, not Ford Motor Company.

 

Probably.
But my '69 Mustang had a canister just like it with NO vacuum wipers.
It was for the climate control system primarily I figure. I fixed it back in 1983 because I got tired of the hissing sound...

Installing a vacuum canister like that is logical on any car.