SteveJ - thanks for the effort - really do appreciate it.

Okay, so the first picture is the inside of the forward portion of the inner door, the hinge side.  If I am understanding correctly this is the area of interest.  As SteveJ states you can clearly make out at least 2 of the three welded nuts.  There is nothing that I can see that is captured on the inside of the door.  The bolt goes through the door and into the welded nut.  I do not see a safety bar or anything else captured by the bolt.  Also, there is nothing on the free side of the welded nut.

Is it possible that the bolts are compressing multiple layers of metal?  The outside layer: screw hole layer (my original post view) and an inside layer (welded nut layer). And there is no additional discrete bar.  Translation  -  if you can feel the welded nut and the bolt is installed then you are not missing anything?

Hey @gogriz91, do you feel like taking off a door card and seeing if you see the same thing in your door?

16 minutes ago, qz16 said:

Okay, so the first picture is the inside of the forward portion of the inner door, the hinge side.  If I am understanding correctly this is the area of interest.  As SteveJ states you can clearly make out at least 2 of the three welded nuts.  There is nothing that I can see that is captured on the inside of the door.  The bolt goes through the door and into the welded nut.  I do not see a safety bar or anything else captured by the bolt.  Also, there is nothing on the free side of the welded nut.

Is it possible that the bolts are compressing multiple layers of metal?  The outside layer: screw hole layer (my original post view) and an inside layer (welded nut layer). And there is no additional discrete bar.  Translation  -  if you can feel the welded nut and the bolt is installed then you are not missing anything?

I think those capture nuts are to hold the brace in place if I understand @zKarscorrectly. I didn't take them out to see if that piece would wiggle inside the door. I'm lazy that way. It's not like there is going to be a thick support in the door since that would intrude on the space for the window & regulator as far as I can tell.

Mystery solved.

SteveJ - your last post caused me to take a picture of the inside of my door. 

 

I apologize for wasting everyone's time.

 

In the image below you can clearly see an additional bar (just to the left of the front sash) that has the welded nuts.  I guess the bar is welded to the inside of the door.  The bolts go thru the outer hinge side of the door and thru the "safety bar" and into the welded nut.
Once again, thanks for everyone's assistance.  I guess I was guilty of taking you on a "snipe hunt", without meaning to.

My time wasn't wasted. @zKarstold me something about my doors that I didn't know before. I got to do something to address my curiosity, and you got the confirmation you needed. I feel good.

I believe the bar has some thick sealant stuff between it and the outer skin. I was trying to figure out where your bar could be without the door having been "reskined". Doooh 😉