Welding outerskin front wheel arch on a bus

[Oil Phil-M]

Trying a different forum and question to see if I can get an answer. I'm planning a metal purchase this week and need to get this issue straight in my head before I invest as this panel replacement stuff is new to me.

I've seen lots of pics and posts about replacing a complete dogleg section but I haven't seen anything about doing just the outer skin. I'm in need of a full replacement dogleg section from A pillar to B but I have a '72 bay window so its a mix of early bay step area and late bay flare wheel arch. There are a few threads involving '72s that show the use of late bay doglegs and cutting off the step area and using early bay panels there.

I was thinking of getting the complete early bay dogleg klassicfab makes due to the reported high quality and fit and cutting off the non flared wheel arch and welding on the late bay outer skin flared wheel arch section panels I already have. So my questions are:
1. Is this a reasonable way to do accomplish repair?
2. I'm going to guess that the best surface to cut and weld in the flared skin is the top flat surface of the dogleg panel directly under the door - is this correct?

The other option is to just go with the early bay part and forget about the wheel arch flare but its one of those unique features that makes a '72 a '72. Thanks

[skills@eurocarsplus]

totally doable, but it will be a shit ton of work to do it correctly

if you look at the construction of the dogleg, you will see why. it is hard to describe, but look at it closely. i may be able to drum up some photos if you cant see how it goes together
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[Oil Phil-M]

I can understand that there would be less welding required if you were to buy a complete late bay dogleg and then cut off the step area and use early bay pieces for that. Am I correctly assuming that if I go the route of cobbling on early bay step area pieces to a late bay complete dogleg there is more room to "play" so the pieces will line up between the pillars and the door better?

I've poked my head in the wheel well and felt around a bit but I've never examined a complete dogleg replacement part before. Since my first post I found out from the parts supplier the Klassicfab part comes as two separate pieces (inner panel and outer skin) that need to be assembled. Are all replacement doglegs two piece units like this or do some come as one piece? Is the comment about it being a shit ton of work valid regardless of whether the replacement piece is a single unit or two parts which need assembling?

I've heard so many horror stories about replacement panels not even being close to fitting correctly I want to get panels that have a good reputation and the least amount of fuss when installing.

[skills@eurocarsplus]

the gerson panel is the way to go imho.....

the dogleg gets welded to the wheel arch, (seat pedastal), inner fender well and lower nose and front floor.

the inner is spot welded to the outter. you can feel how they come together.

i will see if i can get some photo's as i suck at descriptions
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[Oil Phil-M]

Some pics would be great. Like I said I've only seen pics of a dogleg replacement as a single unit, never as two pieces. thanks