Stupid Question Ahead: How does one install this repair panel?

[P24p1]

Is this crossmember repair panel:

https://store.concept1.ca/T2-Cross-Member-Front-73-79-%289556800%29-9556800/

Intended to be used as a sort of sleeve? I have one from PO that I have not installed, it's wider than the original and short enough to fit between the main frame rails and therefore slides right onto the original. This leads me to think that maybe this panel can be installed over the original without having to cut said original out first? I feel stupid asking this but I'm new to welding and restoring a VW bus and I can't find any info on why this cross member is different than, say, this one:

https://store.concept1.ca/T2-Cross-Member-Front-68-72-%289555800%29-9555800/

Thanks!

[67ctbug]

Well for one they’re for different years. ‘68-‘72 vs ‘73-‘79. This may explain why you’re able to slip it over. I will suggest you don’t slip it over though, that’s a good way to make the bus rust out again.
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'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
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'73 914
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'72 Dodge Wrecker
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World Series Champions 2016

[cmonSTART]

Personally I would look for a better panel. Klokkerholm are a last resort IMO and weird fits wouldn't surprise me.
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'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[busdaddy]

Odd that the lower one says 68-72, from here it looks to have the larger holes for the 73+ heater tubing.

That top one is for the lazy flipper, it goes hand in hand with the inner rockers with similar cutouts for quickly slipping over the rusty mess and making it look good enough to sell. If the upper part of your existing part is intact and you cut away most of what the new one covers it'll be better than nothing under there, but if you want it done right you'll have to drop the heater tubes and some of the cable tubes to get the full sized part in.
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[SGKent]

add the year of your bay to your avatar or sig line.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[P24p1]

[P24p1]

[P24p1]

[Abscate]

Rustoleum??

Cue the BeArs!!

Seriously , good luck with your restoration
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[P24p1]

[Joey]

If you slip that new crossmember over the old one moisture will get trapped between the two and they will both rust out in a very short time.
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Joey

‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

[P24p1]

[SamboSamba22]

[Alan Brase]

[Slip356]

P24p1 to bring out the haters here is my experience.
About 15 yrs ago I purchased a rust free 78 Canadian Westy from a woman who owned it for 20 plus years. It had been ZBart type rust proofed.
It was really clean, however when I got home, after driving it from north Of Seattle to N WI with my wife, & camped all the way back I put it up on a lift only to find the inner drivers side dog leg was rusted through. That was all the rust I could find. Nothing showed exterior wise.
Thought, oh shit, ‘ I’ll get a new dogleg installed, someday.’ Cleaned up the visible rust, soaked it with Ospho and heavily sprayed it with 3M undercoating including inside the dogleg through the rust hole. Once per year when doing annual maintenance I check it and spray other areas where original rust proofing has come off exposing factory paint.
This temp repair has lasted for 15 yrs. and shows no evidence of changing.
Yes, I will get a new dogleg installed, someday.

[Alan Brase]

[P24p1]