M725 windshield cowl weatherstrip installation

My M725 ambulance windshield cowl weatherstrip is long overdue for replacement. It's currently in several pieces being held together with silicone caulk applied by the PO.
It's sandwiched in there and since the windshield on the ambulance is fixed in place and won't hinge forward, I'm thinking the weatherstrip install is not straightforward or easy. What parts need to be removed first?
I now have a new M715 weatherstrip, which looks like it is the same profile as the 725 weatherstrip - and looks like it will fit fine if I trim each end somewhat.
I've searched here and found nothing on the installation of a new M725 windshield cowl weatherstrip.
Anyone else changed one of these that can explain the process for me?

Thanks
Bryce

it does not look like it would be an easy swap. You'll have to drill out the rivets on the two end cap pieces and then it looks like unbolting the entire cab from the chassis and lifting it up to make room. You might get away with just taking out the front bolts and jacking it up some to slip it in place. Honestly it might just be easier to caulk and paint it rather then trying to replace it, and will not look much of a difference unless you are going for a 100 point restoration.

Well, I know that my original message didn't get many takers (thanks Beast) . . . I know its a mundane topic, but I really do have to do something with the 50 year old weather stripping . . . .

Hoping there are at least a couple of ambulance guys out there that can provide their experience/wisdom on this task . . . . .
Thanks,
Bryce

Bryce, I wish I could help you. I have an M715 so I don't have any answers. But I wanted you to know that we are listening to you. I just wish I had a answer. Hopefully one of the guys will know.

No, not a mundane topic at all.
It's just most of us don't have a M725, and have the experience to give.
I have been scratching my head over your question for some time:confused:
I'm still looking for a nice M725 to restore in the future, and am interested in your problem.

Maybe this will help get the conversation started . . .My thoughts fall into two camps:
1. Come up with a replacement filler material. One that holds the cowl and windshield frame apart, allows some flex and movement of the two pieces and is UV and water proof and can be sealed with body seam sealer or butyl sealant. I'm thinking a piece of relatively dense black rubber matting in a thickness that essentially fills the space??/ (Think of the older heavy duty ruck bed mats that were sometimes 3/8"-1/2" thick). I could carve that up to fit and notch the rubber to fit around the three permanant bolts that go through that area that I describe below . . .

2. Modify and use a new reproduction M715 cowl weatherstrip. In addition to trimming both ends of the M715 weatherstrip to fit that somewhat shorter space, the only other physical blockages are the three bolts that are welded to the cowl and go through the weatherstrip into the windshield frame. So . . . . I thought that if I slit the cab side of the gasket in those three places to slide in around the three bolts, that I might be able to work from the outside of the windshield to slide the new weatherstrip (slathered in butyl rubber weatherstrip sealant) into that space, without tearing into any of the riveted sheet metal transitions between Kaiser Jeep and ambulance cab body. That makes sense?

Thoughts?
Bryce

I replaced the weatherstrip under my windshield last year. I was just looking through old pics seeing if I had shots of the bottom of the windshield frame.

I remember that, even with the windshield folded down, that weatherstrip was a pain to get lined up correctly. It comes all folded up in a small box and didn't want to straighten up.

And... It's a LOT of weatherstrip packed into a thin space. It's not solid rubber, it has a lot of ribs molded in and hollow spaces. But it's a lot taller than the gap between the windshield and cowl.
And I believe the bottom of the windshield is inset and the molded weatherstrip is tucked inside that space.. and held in with a half dozen or so screws.

I'm not sure one could get the old gasket out, much less stuff a new one in, without folding the windshield down.

And don't forget your defrost ducts, if the gasket isn't lined up right they could be blocked.

I'm not familiar with the changes they made for the M725. On my 724 all they did was slap together a POS roof and rivet it to the top of the windshield frame. Don't know anything about the 3 bolts.

I've got a spare windshield frame in the shop... I was just too lazy to go look. I've got coffee in me now, I'll go look at it.

Well, I was kinda wrong about it being inset. There is a lip on the inside facing. And it's 15 screws, not half dozen or so.

http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9gzikobz.jpg
http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/...psysshhurw.jpg
http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/...pswvoi2cpi.jpg

Also got a shot of the side of my windshield, you can see the ribs and stuff all squished down.
The first couple of times I lowered the windshield I thought I was going to bend the frame or break the glass trying to get it latched back into the upright position.

http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/...psk67wfb7k.jpg

Thanks for the pics VON.

If the 725 windshield frame uses the same fasteners as the M715, I don't think my "slide in from the front" plan is going to work well at all.

Maybe I need to post some pics of what I see on the 725 windshield frame

So, those 15 screws went through the weatherstrip and held it in place?

Bryce

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brycer1968

Thanks for the pics VON.

If the 725 windshield frame uses the same fasteners as the M715, I don't think my "slide in from the front" plan is going to work well at all.

Maybe I need to post some pics of what I see on the 725 windshield frame

So, those 15 screws went through the weatherstrip and held it in place?

Bryce

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My thoughts too on the Slide it in plan.

Yes, the screws go through holes in the weatherstrip and hold it in place. I thought I had taken more pics when I replaced mine (build thread at Planetisuzoo). I was hoping to show you how the gasket is molded... even without all the screws that'd be an almost impossible job to slide it in.
... maybe a few tubs of vaseline and a running start... no, not even then.

I know nothing about the 725 body, but I'm guessing they used the 715 body from the cowl forward and the 715 windshield, then set the 725 body on the frame and screwed/riveted the roof to the windshield. Saves setup time and costs.

If your windshield has the hinges on the sides and the latches on the inside then, to me anyway, that would confirm that.

Unless your strip is so rotten that there's gaps and the windshield is unsupported under there, caulking/painting may be the only option that doesn't involve parting the roof from the windshield and jacking the body up. (there may be enough flex that you could lift the roof without lifting the body.. I dunno)

Oooh... If it IS that rotten you might be able to chip some old stuff out around the screws, then stuff some filler blocks cut from some horse stall pads or something in there to support the frame. Then caulk it up.

Oooh... again. If you're determined to replace it... Instead of parting the roof/windshield frame, it might be easier to remove the doors, unbolt the windshield hinges and unbolt the body from the frame and lift until you have the clearance to get to the 15 screws and replace the gasket.
Only reason I think that might be easier is because of not having to reseal the roof to the windshield frame. And removing the body isn't that big a deal if you've got the means to actually do the lifting/jacking.

Thanks Von for the ideas

Yes, It's sounding like there are some significant differences between the 715 and 725 parts in this area.

The 725 windshield and windshield mounting frame are all permanently connected/welded into the ambulance body and ambulance upper cab. I think the cowl does have the two unused pivot holes for the 715 hinged windshield frame, but these are concealed behind the riveted transitions.

I'll try to download and post some photos tonight that show those same areas you photographed.
Bryce

[IMG]http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...pskiravtgp.jpg

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...psg1veellb.jpg

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...psduptktbp.jpg

[IMG]http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...pssfo7muyd.jpg[/IMG]

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...psmcduxvsp.jpg

Even though I took those in fading twilight, I think they show mostly how that gasket is sandwiched in there.

Wow, that's a different windshield altogether. I put your pics next to pics of mine and it's like a whole other animal. Especially those pieces riveted to the cowl on the sides. And the top is spot welded to the top of the windshield frame?

I'd be back to the trim it and caulk it plan.

While down in the garage this weekend I snapped a couple close up pics of the cowl strip on my M725 and it looks like it is a modified M715 piece. I can see where the ends were trimmed to fit the width of the M725 cab and the rear of it from about half way across the defroster vents has been cut off. So you should be able to take one of the new production ones for a M715 and make the cuts to fit it in the M725. But like I stated earlier the problem is going to be having to remove the rivits on the corner pieces and lifting the body off the cab far enough to slip it under. I'm also not sure if the 3 bolts that stick up through the bottom of the windshield frame pass all the way through from the cab, but most likely do, which means you need to get the body high enough to clear them or try and notch around them. I still think at this point that unless you are doing a 100 point restoration the best bet is to seal it with a good sealant and then just paint over it.

http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/q...pszhgmhsho.jpg
http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/q...pssrrcfv0j.jpg
http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps7yqpqqhm.jpg
http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/q...pscw33clgi.jpg

Thanks for the pics Beast.
I do have a new reproduction M715 weatherstrip to modify if I try to go that route
I'm not going for a 100 point "every bolt and nut" restoration, so Ill likely end up with some sort of trim and seal sort of fix. Even though it's unlikely at this point that I'll dig into the riveted transitions, does anyone have any experience or knowledge about those rivets? Type/name? Anyone ever replaced them on a vehicle like this?
Thanks,
Bryce

Which ever direction I end up going with this repair task, I'll document with pics what I find in that area and the plan that works best for me.

Cheers,
Bryce

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I'm trying to get this buttoned up while the weather is still nice in Portland. Any recommendations from anyone for what type of body/seam sealer I should use for this task? After I cut back as much of the old exposed seal on the outside that I can, its gonna be a pretty big gap that I'll be sealing up-like between 1/4"-3/8".
Thanks,
Bryce

[QUOTE=Beast;260772]While down in the garage this weekend I snapped a couple close up pics of the cowl strip on my M725 and it looks like it is a modified M715 piece. I can see where the ends were trimmed to fit the width of the M725 cab and the rear of it from about half way across the defroster vents has been cut off. So you should be able to take one of the new production ones for a M715 and make the cuts to fit it in the M725. But like I stated earlier the problem is going to be having to remove the rivits on the corner pieces and lifting the body off the cab far enough to slip it under. I'm also not sure if the 3 bolts that stick up through the bottom of the windshield frame pass all the way through from the cab, but most likely do, which means you need to get the body high enough to clear them or try and notch around them. I still think at this point that unless you are doing a 100 point restoration the best bet is to seal it with a good sealant and then just paint over it.

A small update on my cowling weatherstripping replacement project:
I originally intended to only remove the outside part of the cowl weatherstripping and seal that area up, but in the process of trying to trim off the outside rubber, entire pieces of the weatherstripping started coming out of that space. It was all hard as a rock and didn't want to cut easily with a knife anyway.

The good news is that I verified that the three threaded fasteners in the base of the windshield frame that have the gripco nuts on them in the pictures don't actually extend through the gasket area like I thought they did- so its theoretically possible to slide a new reproduction gasket into that space without removing riveted transitions. It does look like I'll need to trim the gasket ends a little bit first, but I'll take pictures of this area and the install along the way.

Cheers,
Bryce