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Hi all. As I progress doing metal work on my '79 I reminded myself that I thought my cowl area had leaked into the cab a bit. Now I haven't driven my truck much if at all in the last few years never mind in the rain, but I remember when I replaced my heater core quite a few years back that I could see moisture leaching in through the cowl-upper dash joint. Not sure what you call it but it would be where the cowl hidden area meets the firewall? So it's water drainage from the hood or windshield that gets inside of this sealed area. Don't really know how to access this. Thought I'd throw it out there and see if any of you had to deal with this.
I've washed under the hood, then found moisture had entered somewhere along top of the big AC evaporator housing, and it might can also get past the radio antenna lead in seal. Might follow the heater valve cable too.
I’m also having the same issue (I think). Sealed the drip rails, but still getting soaked carpet on the passenger side. Took some pictures up under the dash the other day, and saw the same thing you’re describing.
I remember seeing an acrylic/plastic product for “classic” rigs cowls. It was basically a t-bolt to fit between the cowl vent slits, rotate 90* to lock into place with a set screw, and gaskets around the outside edge of the plastic covering the vents to fully seal.
Probably a good “good enough for now” fix until a full body seam repair.
Chances are all your body seams are ready to be re-done (as mine are). Hurray old stuff.
I’m also having the same issue (I think). Sealed the drip rails, but still getting soaked carpet on the passenger side. Took some pictures up under the dash the other day, and saw the same thing you’re describing.
I remember seeing an acrylic/plastic product for “classic” rigs cowls. It was basically a t-bolt to fit between the cowl vent slits, rotate 90* to lock into place with a set screw, and gaskets around the outside edge of the plastic covering the vents to fully seal. ... etc ... .
Before the redo/new paint this last time, was several years I was fighting pine needles, etc. I cut some white plastic sheet to make covers, held in place with 3/16" spring loaded wing like wall anchors (or zip ties). Cold winter, as I was fiddling with them, one broke so I made a new set of clear "Lexan MR-10" I had leftover (bike windshield). Stuff is hard coated you can't break it.
I still have those, but haven't used them on the new paint, but if I need to again, I can put a rubber like seal around edges to keep them up off the paint and use them. See Tbear's 77 F150 thread - Page 3 - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums @ post 44 and then 46 if interested.
I paid 21k to get the trees cut down and hauled away. Those pines were a good 40+ feet tall by then, pine needles everywhere near them. Now is a line of 14 really fat just 8-10" tall stumps there. I planted them in 1992.
Before the redo/new paint this last time, was several years I was fighting pine needles, etc. I cut some white plastic sheet to make covers, held in place with 3/16" spring loaded wing like wall anchors (or zip ties). Cold winter, as I was fiddling with them, one broke so I made a new set of clear "Lexan MR-10" I had leftover (bike windshield). Stuff is hard coated you can't break it.
I still have those, but haven't used them on the new paint, but if I need to again, I can put a rubber like seal around edges to keep them up off the paint and use them. See Tbear's 77 F150 thread - Page 3 - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums @ post 44 and then 46 if interested.
Thanks Tbear! That’s exactly what I was thinking. I’ll give it a shot today, at least if I can scrounge enough lex/plex and figure out a gasket.
Ive already sealed the pinch weld at firewall, and cleaned at the cowl wells before I did my carpet. Every time I think I got it, I find another leak.
Ford really likes their upturned seams.
Well that took a lot longer than I expected… about 4 hours all in.
I’ll post a quick write up when I get the chance, but turned out good using Tbears specs as a baseline.
I tweaked the pass/driver sides to fit a little more closely, and used what I had laying around. If my paint was worth caring about I’d use 1/4 or so hose cut down one side and slipped over the edges as a gasket. It’d take about 5’ per side.
