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