Yes, I know the best way is to do a full pan replacement but the only rusthroughs I have are in the rear portions of both pans - so - I have gone with the tightarse option and am welding in half pans. The EMPI pans I have bought are thinner metal ( but only just, the original metal is 18ga ( 1.2mm ) and these are 20ga ( 1.0mm ) Also, the pressings are not as defined as VW did ( but after stoneguard is sprayed on who will tell ) so I will see how I go. I'll take some before & after shots and if anyone else has experience at the the cheapskate end like me (LOL ), let us know!

Biggest problem I had was the rubbish spot welds for the seat rails.
They just peeled off

If you are only doing the back, and you are treating both sides, you may be ok.

As long as you dont burn holes in it when you try and weld

1.0mm shouldn't be too bad to weld with a mig we used to have 1.0mm sills and panels made for rust repairs when I was working for the dealership and I rebuilt my Datsun 260c (it was a basket case) and a few others with panels made by the same sheet metal shop,we had the Datto for over 15 years with no rework and when I sold it the new owner took it to Darwin.

I'm doing a 10mm overlap, punching holes and rosette welding through them. Not as pretty as a butt weld but stronger and OK if sealed well ( which the stoneguard and sikaflex should do ) Thanks guys for the tips
Cheers!

OK so I have found an issue - the EMPI rear pan quarters are different shapes!! Has anyone used them before and noticed this?

THe well in the drivers side near the battery is more rounded like original but the passenger seems to real square ??? Did VW Australia make their pans different to the Germans - otherwise I will have different shaped read sections ( I'm not planning on showing it but it just seems weird to me?

Thanks Dan