Fender-Cowl repair. Advice needed!, Anyone have detailed pics of the rust channel? Options

[Gudhjem]

I've had bubbling showing through on both sides of the fender-cowl seem, which was welded together by the PO. So I knew I had some problems, and finally started digging in. Here are a few pics of what I found:




I know. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

It's not quite as bad as those pics make it look (I hope) since the rust seems to be localized to the area right at the former cowl seems, which look like they were welded shut without treating existing rust underneath. Other than right in the corners, the hood channels, etc. look pretty good.

I've been working out how to go about rebuilding this area all week. I'd like to reconstruct the channel, not reweld it closed, and I'd like to do it right, not just cover the problem. Several pieces come together here, and it's not clear to me how it's even possible to weld all of these together, even with the fender removed. How, for example, does one fully-weld the drain channel so that it doesn't invite water seeping in the seams that are left?

I've scoured the sites for rebuild threads that include this area, and found several good ones with helpful pics of the area (Michelko's Digging into Hell, Bringing out the Dead, among others). I haven't been able to figure out exactly how all these restoration heroes went about this fix.

I'm wondering if anyone has pics of this area that clearly show the construction. I think I have it deciphered, but not 100% sure since mine was already repaired and welded shut.

Maybe someone can share some wisdom on how to go about the reconstruction? Specifically what to weld to what, etc. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

--Steve

[Gudhjem]

Great stuff, thanks for the replies. Some of the pics show pretty clearly how the metal fits together from the factory.

I still can't tell though exactly how the actual channel between the fender and cowl gets reconstructed. Obviously you can't weld on the inside of that channel once it's fully-formed, since there's no way to reach it. You can weld the cowl side, which it looks like you all did, but what about the fender side? Did you guys weld the fender only at the top of the channel and leave the bottom of the channel un-welded?

Or maybe there is no "channel" at all below the fender, only the wall on the cowl side, with the fender side below the cowl seal left open? hmmm (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Is that it? That would make more sense, and would definitely make this repair seem possible. I'm wondering if I'm finally understanding this. In other words, is there no vertical piece at the cowl seem underneath the fender patch in this pic:




or in this pic:



EDIT: oh man, the more I think about this, the more I am becoming convinced that there is no channel at all, other than what is created by the thickness of the fender and cowl extension metal, which holds the seal in place. I've been wracking my mind trying to figure out how to rebuild something that was never there... hopefully someone can confirm.