If it were easy everyone would be doing it. I have helped a mate out in his body shop, I'm no body builder but an enthusiastic ameture. When I was in collage many years ago I was taught that a properly executed weld was stronger than the parent metal and certainly I would rather buy an honestly repaired car than a hidden cut and shut.
A mate baught a Sierra, unknown to him a quarter of the car had been changed in order to repair crash damage, I found out because my body biulder mate was in the same scrapi buying wings for a job when the Sierra repairer was cutting off and buying the front ns quarter. The owner of the sierra never did find out why front tyres never lasted more than 10k and sold it on after 18 months or so. The repairer told him it was a hp repossession which accounted for the low price.
As for times, all I know is once the welder comes out the job is bound to grow. Your extra weld in the slam panel prevents paint burn off inside the undamaged wing, or do you expect your body shop to remove the undamaged wing to repair the paintwork on the inner wing that welding caused?
I know my mate would finish the repair such that it was un noticable, in fact he had more than one argument with punters whom accused him of not welding but filling with filler when repairing holes, he made sure to have witnesses to the fact it was welded before a light scim of filler to finish before painting. That is the skill of body work, no one can see your work.
You are in a rock and hard place situation, you say this was the only body shop who would use second hand parts. Your choice seems to be let him get on with it or take it away and do it yourself. You are obviously trying to do the job economically, as I see it just let him get on with it his way. If he is any sort of tradesman he will stand by his work..
Paul.
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