I just pulled the front sheet metal on my 69. The cowl side panels are rusted through. What is the best way to repair these? I know I can buy replacement pieces from Ricks, but do they need to be welded on? Pics are below...

Cowl Pics (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mdp@sbcglobal.net/album?.dir=/f4b4&.src=ph&.tok=phbx2PCBW9EUQs3O)

That doesn't look bad at all. Not bad enough to replace the whole panel. I'd cut out the rusted spots and weld in some patches. And yes the replacement panels would have to be welded in as well.

i would remove the skins, rust kill the inner cowl, and weld a new piece in. you might even get away with panel adhesive.
good luck

Marty I just completed the lower right cowl and it was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Very little tweaking involved. The link below will show you some pics.

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/scruttenden1123@rogers.com/album?.dir=9628

I did mine a couple of years ago and it is one of the aftermarket panels that fits real well. I did modify mine at the bottom by making the the hole a little bigger for drainage. They are easy to remove. I opened up the seam were the panels are spot welded and used a sawzall to cut thru the spot welds instead of a spot weld cutter. It worked great. It is a easy replacement. Good luck.

Thanks for the replies guys. I've never welded before. I have a few other areas that are going to need some attention - front fenders behind wheels openings, bottom of front windshield, lower part of rear glass, trunk floor pan. I've never done any body work before, but am willing to dive in. Soooo, I've been considering buying a MIG setup and trying to do all of this myself. Do you guys think that this is realistic or practical? Or would I be better off dragging it to a body shop and taking the financial hit?

Marty, I would go for it and buy a welder and do it yourself. By the time you get the car out of the shop for those repairs, you could easily justify the cost of a decent welder. I have a 69 convert and I've had to replace just about everything(steel wise). I never had MIG welded anything before. I purchsed a Miller 175(230v) for about $600.00 and it works awesome. This site has been a huge help to me. I don't think I would have taken on this restoration without all the knowledge and support these guys offer. Note: If you do decide to buy a welder, stick with a top name brand-Miller,Lincoln etc. and get something decent that will meet your needs. Don't opt out for the 200.00 cheapie unit to save a few bucks. They are not worth it. Good luck on the project!

Marty I had stick welded years ago, never mig'ed but it is easy. All you need is the space to do it and you will do fine. The resources available here make things allot easier.