Chris, I dealt with the same issue in restoring my '36 Chevy pickup. If you're doing real metal work without bondo, butt welding is requiired. The weld is then ground smooth to yield a single piece of sheet metal. Lap welding is for bondo plasters. Bondo is quick and dirty and definitely works and it's what the "pros" use to enhance the bottom line. But absolutely no skill is required and I don't see how there is any workmanship pride in using that stuff. It's like smearing peanut butter on a slice of bread, then waiting a few minutes and hitting it with a cheese grater and calling that "body work".
