Bootlid experiences

[stag36587]

Hi guys, As the original bootlid was too far gone I sourced a second hand replacement from another owner. This had been repaired at some point in the past with the lower repair panel stuck over the rusty original and brazed in 6 places onto the remaining skin. There was, let's just say, extensive use of filler over the top to blend in the repair.

I have now cut everything back to sound original steel and seam welded the new lower repair panel skin (outer). I now need guidance on how to attach the inner repair panel (channel for the boot seal).

Should I just plug weld outer and inner repair panels together and maybe also along the turned over edge? I'm not sure how this was constructed originally.

Also, I'm surprised to see that the whole bootlid is ever so slightly large for the recess at either side, is this normal and just the extent to which panels were chosen for best fit at the factory? Is there an easy way to perhaps work the edges to be a better fit - or am I just worrying too much about nothing? I am just keen to avoid any suggestion of scraping the paint off every time I use the boot. I need to make this bootlid work (!) given cost of new fibreglass/steel replacements.

thanks