MPN11 (#10290 and #10295), and oxenos (#10293),
Didn't the early VW 'beetles' have wipers driven by vacuum from the intake manifold - so the harder you put your clog down, the slower the wipers ?
As for Hillman Minxes of that era, I think Rootes sold all their factory rejects to the RAF as "entry level" Staff Cars (they wre renowned for excessive oil consumption - I went through three gallons from Yorkshire to the S. Coast in ours). There was a suspicion that the "Ensign" canvas tilt pick-ups were off-loaded onto us in the same way.
(Any MT Fitters in earshot care to comment ?)
Danny.