pulling cowl- how much work?

[pybyr]

How much work/ time, and removal of other stuff, is involved in pulling the cowl (panel between hood and base of windshield) on an '89 bricknose?

Reason that I ask is that my truck never had a radio or FM antenna (it was originally a military firefighting rig) and it looks as if the only way I can get to the grommet that the antenna cable goes through is by removing the cowl.

Any tips, etc., much appreciated.

Thanks

Trevor

 

[Diesel_brad]

There are a couple screws along the edge by hood ,the screws also holds weather stripping. there are i think 4 screws from the top. remove the wiper arms and sneak the cowl out.

I would put some making tape on the edge of the hood and top of the cowl so you dont scratch it

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I am un-certain if there is any difference between my 1985 cowl and your 1989; I don't think so, but not sure.

On my 1985, without removing the hood, it was nigh impossible to remove the cowl without both flexing the cowl quite a bit, almost to the point of kinking it, and skinning about three square feet of paint off both it and the hood.


Then, one day, I had reason to have that chrome windshield trim piece off, and the cowl came off easy as pie.

So, next time I have reason to remove the cowl, that windshield trim piece is gonna get removed first.

 

[94turboidi]

Yeah I had to remove mine last year, its a 94 and I wish I would have just removed the hood or something but I didn't have any help at the time. It was kinda tricky getting it out. I wonder if removing the windshield trim would have helped me. I think I might have put a little kink in mine when I removed it also.

 

[pybyr]

Thanks, everyone. I'm beginning to think of trying to look at other places I could put my FM antenna...

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

Yeah I had to remove mine last year, its a 94 I wonder if removing the windshield trim would have helped me.

yes it would have.

 

[rjjp]

Removing the trim helps on all of them.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

Thanks, everyone. I'm beginning to think of trying to look at other places I could put my FM antenna...

Just a quick FYI: they used to sell really nice stick on thru glass antenna's for trucks. I used one on an S10 that had a radio delete years ago, and I thought it worked pretty well, supposedly like 70% of hard wired antenna, which is pretty good unless you live in a remote area I guess.

Just a thought, good luck whichever way you go.

 

[sassyrel]

I am un-certain if there is any difference between my 1985 cowl and your 1989; I don't think so, but not sure.

On my 1985, without removing the hood, it was nigh impossible to remove the cowl without both flexing the cowl quite a bit, almost to the point of kinking it, and skinning about three square feet of paint off both it and the hood.


Then, one day, I had reason to have that chrome windshield trim piece off, and the cowl came off easy as pie.

So, next time I have reason to remove the cowl, that windshield trim piece is gonna get removed first.

and THAT, be the correct answer,,been there tooooo often--

 

[riotwarrior]

Pulling the cowl is actually very very easy. Done about 5 or 6.

1 windshield trim
2 wiper arms
3 there are about 4 screws at base of windshield
4 maybe 8 screws on forward edge, you can then gently pry up on one end...carefully and pop off the cowl.

Simple nuff now once off....watch that there washer squirter too....