I got patch panels for my lower cowl hinge pillars. One side needs inner & outer, the other side just the inner. I started with the side that is just the inner this morning.I figured probably about 3 hours to get it done. Drilled out the spot welds,cut out the old rusty panel,ground down to good metal the edges the new panel will weld to and drilled holes in the new panel to weld it to the pillar.It took about 1.5 hours. I tried to put the repro part in place and it looked sort of like the old part, but was quite a bit off.After cutting, bending, fitting & rebending, hammering & a small tantrum I got it to where I can weld the top to the floor edge & then will have to bend some more to weld it to the outer pillar. It is now ready to MIG weld tomorrow & total time - 3.5 hrs so far.
I had to keep telling myself if I had to make the patch from scratch it would take a lot longer & probably wouldn't look as good. The moral of the story is: If you get a repro part plan on extra work & time, but it is better than no part at all.

1957 Chevrolet 1/2-ton Stepside LB in the Gallery
My Photobucket shots

The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873)