Your expert advice required! Panel restoration!

[jacksonrtw1]

Hello early bay experts!

Apologies, another ignorant newcomer here trying to find his way!

I have fallen in love with a crossover bay, looks solid underneath but the bodywork needs some love. Totally new to this, so I have posted a picture in the hope someone could advise me what could be done to make this panel look great again. Is there a difference between replacing the panel and an authentic restoration (that in itself might be nonsense :?: ) What would the likely cost be?

Don't want my heart to rule my head, so any advise would be warmly received.

Best,

Paul

 

[Coda]

I say this as a non-expert- but that doesn't look too bad to me. Remove the rust, remove dents, prep, paint?

 

[sparkywig]

Just looks like an arch replacement to me, although you may uncover a few surprises under there.
As for cost, I haven't a clue.

Personally, I'd scotchbrite the panel to take any loose stuff off, leave the dents and give the bus a good polish/wax.

 

[davidoft]

thats not to bad, it may be repairable , thought that middle rusty bit could be a hole, personally id rather have a bit of filler over a dent that swapping out a panel like that, its pretty much impossible to do it invisibly , could be anything between a few hundred and £1500 i would say

 

[gagvanman]

If it was me, I would strip the paint back to bare metal to see if it has been repaired previously. If it is original metal and no serious rust I would try dent pullers and heat shrinking to remove the worst of the damage then skim with filler and repaint.