Colour matching has become so easy with the Glasurit system. Take the code from the doorjam sticker & dial into the mixer or use a Spectrophotometer and you will get a perfect match. I'm always amazed at colours that go into a mix. e.g. my BRG has black & red & a few others in it on top of the green.

 

Making 3D curved panels, such as the rear inner wing / wheel well, by hand is very difficult, slow and hard work, especially with steel. To avoid it, I bought second hand a complete outer rear wing and wheel well. I'll cut out the difficult shapes to let into my car. Judging only by this piece, the donor vehicle was in better condition than the recipient. Replacement wheel wells are available for the Mk2, but they're expensive and I suspect very difficult to fit.​​​​

 

I have bought secondhand panels in the past to get the shapes and as you say cut them to fit but this was all unexpected work in the middle of the Covid lock down in the UK so I had to fabricate the panel by hand. Not a bad first attempt and once welded in looked right although it cannot be seen on an S type due to the position of the rear wheel and the shape of the outer wing. The hardest part was actually welding it in place as you had to sit with your head in the wheel well welding upside down getting covered in showers of hot sparks. My welding helmet was too big to wear whilst my head was in the wheel well so I had to buy a set of welding goggles and a leather hood. Not a lot of face protection most of the time.

 

My comment was very much one of admiration, not criticism. Even outside of Covid, some parts don't appear when you need them. And the day after you finish making something, there's one on ebay for a £1.

I can understand and sympathise with that welding problem. Sparks have an ability to go everywhere you don't want them. My wife once asked how I'd managed to burn a hole in my underpants...

 

The worst I had was whilst wearing very stout leather safety boots as you should fully laced up when a spark when down between my ankle and the boot. Burnt a hole in my sock and ankle as I could not untie my boot quick enough to get it off. That one really hurt and left a scar.