Looking for advice. Want to build a Duster to run on a budget.

Stop trying to justify chicken wire and bondo. It’s NEVER ok.
no, no, see... he's trying to normalize the chicken wire and bondo hackery so that when he goes to sell the car it's totally acceptable.

"you see, because this isn't a high value car... and i've taken these steps of preservation.... this makes it a good value in the marketplace..."

just don't drive it regularly or the 1/4's will fall out of it.