Water was my concern A/MP as well as my labor.
As stated earlier- welding would be about the same as doing a whole quarter panel per side.
This one has some pretty bad rust along drivers drip rail and up into front corner above windshield.
Quickest/easiest thing is just to make patch panels and be done with it, though i'm always looking for things that might look good, be a little different, but fit the car and, losing a tad of weight /wind turbulance.

fwiw- removing thing like this "do" make a difference in a cars efficiency though i doubt it would show up in 1/8 mile.
longer distances/top speeds/fuel economy- sure, wind tunnels don't lie.

It was just an idea as i was going to be cutting most of the drivers side off and replacing anyway.