Nothing like a salt lick

So my 1997 Jeep Cherokee has cancer. I've already replaced all of the rear brakes because of it. Now the biggest piece of rot on the body is the rocker panel on the drivers' side. This isn't new. It's been obvious since I purchased the vehicle, but I've finally got everything else the way I want it and it is time to get this repaired before it goes any farther.

Here is a picture of what it looks like from the outside. Pretty rusty.



After an hour or so of hacking at it with tin snips, cutting pliers, a chisel and hammer I'm left with this:

A pile of crap: (you can see the replacement panel under the truck.)



And a hole that has to be filled:



Luckily, I suppose, the existing panel is basically solid at the main body panel bend. That will be where I trim to with the rotary cutter. Plus, it allows the remaining tin to keep most of its rigidity and shape during the repair process.

The inner rocker panel is pretty thin at the rear, under the rear door. I may scab a reinforcement piece in while I've got it open.

Now I need to powerwash the hole to remove as much crud as possible. Then I need to clean the rust that's left as much as possible and find some etching/weldable primer to try to prevent what I can't cut out from becoming worse.