bjr

I don't want to take the talent and respect out of good body work but is this something else I could learn from the internet and come out half way decent on my own?
I've tackled things that seem about as hard until you do it. I'm sure to a pro my job would look terrible and cause a real paying customer to not pay me but the more I sit here and think of it if I could cut below the door would I be able to weld in a piece that wansn't too complicated? Like a right angle with a little curve to it?
I don't know how to weld but there are about 20 talented welders where I work! And I already can think of one that would help me. How safe is it to weld next to the gas cap????
Looking for another option. Once I see how far gone the rust is if nobody thinks I can get away with a POR15 fix for a few years I usually try and learn something new when I have nothing to loose. Another guy at work is setting up his garage to re-paint his Scout this summer. One more helper.
Let me know what I am getting into cutting and welding on my own. I know I will be in over my head but what things would I not have access to that a pro has or what kind of talent would I be missing that cannot be substitued on a first time job?

bjr

I've been trying to learn some new things this week. I will still be looking into some ideas to at least have a pro or student cut out and weld back in. I noticed the yard I got my pumpkin from last year will let you fax in a body panel cut form to get pieces to weld in. At first I thought you just bought sheet metal some where and made your own panel but I'm thinking junk yard now.
I am having trouble picturing what to cut in this case because of the hidden panels directly behind half of the damaged area. This is the rear most part of the door where if you follow the wheel well from underneath another panel intersects the damaged area and gets complicated.
Whether I get brave and cut it out then have someone with experience help me weld something in or have someone do it I'd like to know what the plan would be either way. If you have a few minutes can you take the first pic I had and draw the cut line you would do? And a quick comment on how in the world you cut the donor panel to fit in the hole properly?
Finally how is the plastic(?) fuel neck "collar" attached to the sheet metal? That part seems awkward too unless I can cut below all of it and avoid it.

bjr

I'm 90% sure I'm doing this myself (with the help of a co-worker - he's already got the tools and some experience) and doing it right. So where can I find a donor panel cheap? I've been looking for a few days, searching the internet and salvage yards. Probably going to be hard to come by but it seems like a difficult area to fabricate my own patch panel out of raw sheet metal with the horizontal crease, nothing else around it is perfectly flat, and the hole for the door with a lip around it. The door from the factory fits poorly enough as it is without me trying to make my own! I would be buying the inner piece that goes behind the quarter and fills in between the wheel well that holds the door solenoid. I think that is $42.

Best option so far is to pay $350 for a whole salvage quarter panel +shipping at a yard I've used before in IL and they will cut the size I want and ship it to me to save on shipping cost and junk the rest of the panel or whatever they do.

Any ideas???