Body panel replacement tips/advice needed

i guess there is definately more than one way to skin a cat(or car). self tapping screws work well in place of the clecos. good point. i didn t actually use the flange tool for the lower driver quarter patch. i used a bead roller,just for speed sake. but i have used the flange tool for the same purpose before. i will test my flange tool today. i ll see if it ll flange deep enough for what u wanna do. i ve used it more on newer, thinner metal cars. i ll let you know.flanging can leave a bad spot to introduce rust too. BUT.. it can be welded on the back side also, and if you use a good weld thru primer on the flange....and you don t park your car in a canal when you re not driving it....it s the best way to go. if you really wanna go the butt-welding route. you can do this too. i did that on my inner fender patches. the reason is b/c i seamed it where there was a lot of curves. CURVES, BENDS, FLANGES= STRENGTH and makes it less prone to warpage. i used butt-weld clamps(harbor freight). but it will be harder to fill the gaps, without burning thru. in my opinion...i say flange it.
as far as the wet rag thing goes....i used to use this method when i first started patching metal. over the years i ve found that the slow dry tach and clean method works best for me. metal has a memory. when you heat it...the metal softens and the DNA of it moves around. when its hot...it s loose and prone to move, and it might. a little. but it s memory comes into play here and it ll naturally wanna kinda go back to its original form. BUT if you suddenly cool it while it is hot and moving....you just changed it s memory, and it stops where its at. ALSO....HEAT AND MOISTURE are a horrible combo for creating corrosion. so you re kinda starting the corrosion process. i remember the first time i switched to the slow, tac method from the wet rag and small bead method. i was amazed. doing this slowly also gives you the advantage to turn your heat up just a bit. this gives you better penetration, and makes the welds flatter and wider. saves on grinding discs and ensures good welds. if you really wanna test both methods....take some clean scrap pieces, and try it both ways. see what you are comfortable with. that is a huge factor in successful patch work. i hate body work, so i don t like warpage.