'rider,
I think it might be time for you to purchase an AC / DC tig welder. I believe that you could carefully hammer out the dents and weld the tears. The missing aluminum could be replaced. The skin repair would be a number one priority. There is a metal working forum that comes to mind, MetalMeet. Good Luck with the project.
BobH.
quote="gorgerider"]Thanks, folks, for your responses. You nailed it. Now I just have to find the serial number. Any hints?
I'll also need to figure out how to deal with a few rips/cracks in the skin. I've searched the aircraft skin repair sites and all I come up with is drill a hole at each end of the tear and apply a patch. Any other sources or ideas? I'll never get to restore it to shiny aluminum because of the dents and I'll have to paint it. I can bang out dents and squirt the zinc chromate and enamel.
I'd like to keep it, but it's a little big for my 1500cc-powered MGA. I think the 2300cc, 140 RWHP motorcycle would do a better job of towing in a straight line, but it'd scare all sorts of bodily fluids out of me to hitch it up and let out the clutch. And the extra weight would negate the option of me dating a fat chick. The good part is it would fit my 6' 5" bod. The bad news is I'd have to find a 1947 car to go in front of it. Oh well. we all have to make sacrifices.
Thanks again. I'll let you know how things go. I have a camera and I'm not afraid to use it.[/quote]