M725 windshield cowl weatherstrip installation

[brycer1968]

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

[Beast]

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.

[brycer1968]

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

[Don Cavey]

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.

[jeepdan]

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
I'm still looking for a nice M725 to restore in the future, and am interested in your problem.

[brycer1968]

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