Started to tackle the cowl today! First two photos show that for a reason unbeknownst to all, the seatbelts are like melted to the car.
Anyway, after pulling back the drivers side carpet and seeing it wasn't bad at all, I pulled back the passengers side and it's still not THAT bad, but it's clearly a problem. So I ripped out the carpet pad and went to town with a wire wheel.
As far as I got before my drill battery died.
Buuutttt.... this is the cowl cover and I cannot get it off because I cannot access the top screws. I REALLY REALLY hope it's clogged and that's the cause of the leak, and the fact that the side panel here was completely drenched and rotted, I hope I'm right BUT i can't confirm until I get that effing cover off.
Unrelated, two of these wires going into the cowl go... absolutely nowhere. What did they used to be?
Anyway, threw a towel down there for tonight because (shockingly) it'll rain all day tomorrow. But really- any advice on getting that cover off without totally dismantling the dash?