try to remember to never cut anything untill you physically posess the new
panels in hand. made this mistake and was totally devistated quite a few
years ago. use the new panels to guide you to how far you can go first and
always try to replace entire panels when repairing a unibody car to keep
it's structural integrity intact. only tiny minor rust should be attempted
in patch repairs. splicing panels leaves a nasty job of covering up to
finish off too. my bugeye took both inner and outer rockers, both cowel
posts up to windshield mounts, both lower door hinge pieces, part of a front
frame rail, both floors and jack boxes, parts of both spring boxes, and
floor reinforcements, and assorted trunk and quarter panel patches just to
get it solid again. let alone the front end had hit a toll booth on route
22 crossing the deleware river into new jersey before i bought it and had
been sorta-kinda smoothed out . i believe that was what caused it to be
parked in the field years before i boought it. i did all of it myself and
cursed and bled through all of it (sorry). but now looking back, i have
something that i am very proud of and in spite of my size...(let's not go
there!)...very happy with after all of these years. this is not intended to
scare anyone. it is a testamony to encourage others that it can be done.
but always ask questions when in doubt before guessing. it might hurt some
pride ...but will save a lot of mis-spent time and money in the long run.
good luck! chuck.
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