I'm Heartbroken. Time to face reality that my Cuda is a parts car.

Because that’s applicable to this thread...

Why not? I know people who can make d@mn good sheet metal welds with a stick welder, or oxy-acetylene. Tig is I believe if I remember right, the preferred way to weld a cage, although I remember a car that ran at a dirt track for well over 3 months, had a PVC pipe roll cage... Lol!!!