I would put the splices in the vertical since your new bottom piece looks to be pretty solid. You could use the bolt hole locations on the original to insure that the bottom piece is installed in the right place. You could use a couple of pieces of the original as fishplates for the joints. That would help line them up properly as well.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
