Paradis used a straightedge to mark cut lines in the original fender for removing the rust and leaving only solid metal. To make the repair easier to accomplish, he cut roughly 11/44 inch inside the fender edge next to the door and the same distance inside the fender lip to preserve these complex, curved surfaces. This also improves structural strength. He also retained the bottom edge of the fender even though it was heavily rusted. The patch panel did a good job of reproducing the lower edge, including the rectangular opening for the fender bolt.
 Paradis emphasizes very careful...  Paradis emphasizes very careful cutting. First, cut to the inside of the scribed line on the fender and be aware of the thickness of the blade. Even more importantly, be careful to cut only the exterior sheetmetal, leaving the interior reinforcement panel in place. |  Here, Paradis has cut three...  Here, Paradis has cut three of the four sides, and you can see the fender reinforcement piece underneath the exterior panel. Note the rust in this panel, which will also need attention. |  Paradis made the final cut...  Paradis made the final cut along the bottom and then scribed two vertical lines on the new sheetmetal patch that are slightly larger than the hole in the fender. When cutting the patch out of the new sheetmetal, be sure to cut to the outside of your scribed line. This will produce a patch slightly larger than the hole in the fender. |
 Before starting on the patch...  Before starting on the patch panel, Paradis used a hammer and small chisel to remove the outside sheetmetal from the lower panel around the attachment hole. He chiseled the factory spot-welds while being careful not to destroy the inner sheetmetal brace. |  Note that Paradis has left...  Note that Paradis has left the upper portion of the patch panel in place for now, concentrating on positioning the patch on the left and right areas first. He's clamped the patch at the bottom to the original fender with large Vise-Grip pliers. |  With the new panel clamped...  With the new panel clamped in place, Paradis penciled in location marks in four places on both the inside and outside of the patch and the fender to accurately position the patch. Then he scribed a line along the top of the inside of the patch to indicate where he will need to cut. |
 He used a cutoff wheel to...  He used a cutoff wheel to cut to the outside of that top trim line. |  Here is where moving slowly...  Here is where moving slowly and patience pay off. Paradis carefully examined the rough cuts to see where he needed to trim to make this patch a very tight butt-weld connection. |  Using a right-angle air sander...  Using a right-angle air sander with a new 36-grit disc, Paradis carefully trimmed the top and sides of the patch panel. He stopped numerous times to examine the trim and worked slowly until the patch was positioned as tightly as possible to the fender with as little gap as possible. |