Washer bottle re-location

jovani

jovani

True Classic
After my custom color match for the floor jack, here is my next seemingly useless mod. The thing that always bugged me was the size, shape and location of the wiper wash fluid tank.So after a day in a junkyard I found one that looked right (see photo). I managed to squeeze it in the pass side headlight opening without restricting too much access for eventual work on wires or horn. Wires and hose come out of the way at 90* angle using a distributer wire rubber seal as a grommet, of course a positioning groove was cut with the Dremel. Easy slide-in / slide out installation, and the tightest fit I have ever done, less than 1mm error allowed to install holding bracket, but when it was all done, it works flawlessly.
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Nice mod, from a Ford or a GM? Looks a lot like a GM truck unit but I would think it would be larger.

In any case a very good mod, I hate the large tank myself so changing to something else is a huge upgrade, especially when it gets out of the general view like this.
 
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kmead said:
Nice mod, from a Ford or a GM? Looks a lot like a GM truck unit but I would think it would be larger.

In any case a very good mod, I hate the large tank myself so changing to something else is a huge upgrade, especially when it gets out of the general view like this.
Click to expand...
It is from a Ford Contour or similar engineering humiliation. Anyway, now I made room for a small brake booster, already figured how it will function with the original master cylinder. X1/9s NEED brake boost! This will be the most desirable mod.
 
Nah you just need a stronger right leg :)

Interesting, I actually prefer my non boosted brakes (particularly over my Miata’s) as I can easily threshold brake right up to the limit with them and they are easily modulated. But thats me.

So you aren’t the only one looking to this option, another member is looking at two boosters, one for the front and one for the rear to allow the use of the OE X master cylinder, with a rear line pressure regulator. Using two single circuit boosters and sub cylinders, the remote type you may have seen on some older British cars and a few Italian ones.
 
Glad I don’t have to work inside there.

That would fall under the some Italian ones. The boosters were apparently made under license in Italy, they can also be found on a variety of Alfa’s and the Lancia Scorpion which some feel makes the car nearly undrivable. No experience with them myself.

Karl
 
K, it's funny you mention modulation since that's what I hate about X brakes. Without a booster, the brakes are mostly worked from your hip or knee which would actually kill fine modulation which should come from your ankle? Seems I'm always working the brakes hard from my hip. But then I haven't done trackdays in too many years to count.

C
 
kmead said:
Nice mod, from a Ford or a GM? Looks a lot like a GM truck unit but I would think it would be larger.

In any case a very good mod, I hate the large tank myself so changing to something else is a huge upgrade, especially when it gets out of the general view like this.
Click to expand...
You do know that Fiat put bag style wash fluid reservoirs in the early X driver's side headlight pod . Not sure if they continued to put the hanger hooks in later cars. However it's nice to see how you fit that reservoir in there :).
 
jovani said:
The thing that always bugged me was the size, shape and location of the wiper wash fluid tank.So after a day in a junkyard I found one that looked right (see photo).
Click to expand...
The '74 (and maybe some later years) had the washer fluid reservoir in the driver's side headlight well, might be another possibility.
 
Over time I have not had good luck with the vinyl bags. My first X had one and my 850 has one but as I recall the hooks no longer exist in the late cars.

The bummer of the bags is if you inadvertently compress them you can get a gusher of washer fluid which while not as unpleasant as coolant is still less than desirable.
 
carl said:
K, it's funny you mention modulation since that's what I hate about X brakes. Without a booster, the brakes are mostly worked from your hip or knee which would actually kill fine modulation which should come from your ankle? Seems I'm always working the brakes hard from my hip. But then I haven't done trackdays in too many years to count.

C
Click to expand...

You haven’t seen my calves...
 
jovani said:
It is from a Ford Contour or similar engineering humiliation. Anyway, now I made room for a small brake booster, already figured how it will function with the original master cylinder. X1/9s NEED brake boost! This will be the most desirable mod.
Click to expand...

Any better lead on the donor car? Doesn't look like the Contour reservoirs on ebay?
 
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