Paul - that was the answer I was looking for. I started to patch the holes with some 1/8" sheet I had laying around but it was so rotted that I was burning through the sections I was welding too. So, I got pissed, grabbed a hammer and started swinging. Now the floor board is in a pile under the car in the driveway and the 1/8" sheet that's in there looks like hell. I need to cut it all back out before I mock up the new panels.
Did you need to use a bead roller to strengthen the panels after you cut them, or was the 18 gauge enough to hold? Also, did you do a couple welds and then seal the joints or did you do a continuous bead around the whole panel? I'm thinking after I get this fixed I'm going to power wash underneath the car while the trans is out, and spray on some rust treatment and then some undercoating of some type.
Thanks for the help. - John