Doug,
Just a hopefully helpful comment about your latest picture. Check out where your drain pipe for your cowl vent discharges. Right now if you get any water through there, at least some of it's going to find its way inside your valve cover. Those open breather slots on that particular valve cover are an open door for water to enter your engine and contaminate your innards, real quickly.
Don't ask me how I learned about this problem - haha!

Good progress on your project.
Dan