Body guy- help?

Hey all, I hope you're doing well.
I've got a '72 Coronet that I'm trying to build into a DD that's beefed up a little for some minor stunt work. Basically doing the subframe connectors/torque boxes and heavier gauge steel in the rockers like the convertibles had.
There's a local body guy that does absolutely remarkable work, but he's more knowledgeable with GMs than our Mopes, and he came out to look at the car. There's a football sized hole under the pedals, and I got the AMD patch piece, along with the tunnel hump for a 4-speed conversion.

Long story short, he found some other areas with some rust (like the trunk rain gutter), and suggested I strip the whole thing down to a shell, get it bead blasted, epoxied, and do all of the metalwork at once.

But this is a '72 4-door Coronet. This is never going to be worth anything. Basically I want the floor and tunnel hump welded in, and the structural enhancements done, and to leave the rest of it alone. I don't want to do a full on $20+k restoration on what's probably never going to be a $4k car.

Is there a proper way to ask a body guy that look, I appreciate you feel the car deserves the whole restoration, but I don't? Could you please just weld in these pieces, make it strong, and not worry about some surface rust around the wheelwells, or behind the fenderwells in the front fenders? They all rot there. I hate to say it, but this thing is going to be a mongrel when it's done. I want to be able to leave the keys in it in a Walmart parking lot and have people approach it, see it's rough, and decide against stealing it. ;) Just ratty and kind of gross, but solid and reliable.
Can you just ask a reputable body guy to focus on the structure of it, and leave the dents, scratches, and non-essential rust alone?
When it's done, I want this to look like a beat-to-hell undercover cop car circa 1974.
Thank you in advance for any help or guidance.

Your hunting in the wrong timber.
You need a stock car / Figure Eight ect. race car builder.

Just tell him you're not interested in putting that much money in the car.

...........OR learn to do it yourself and make whatever repairs you need.

Hi mate , I'd be very upfront and honest with the guy from the off , explain that whilst you know he is a top man for the job that you are only looking to get these very specific repairs done and as you are working to a very tight budget that your cars ' final finish ' is an intentional choice reflected both esthetically and financially . Work is work money is money .

Kern Dog, in all honesty, that was the plan from the beginning. I figured what better car to learn welding on than a) my own, and b) one that will never be looked on as a collector's car... however I'm in an apartment with a garage unit, and the landlord has made it 150% clear I am not to do any welding-type activities since the garages are all joined together. In retrospect, that was probably a "better to apologize than to ask permission" situation.
What I may end up doing is asking to tow the Coronet to this guy's place and ask him to teach me how to weld in trade for sweeping up his shop, or something like that. That way he can supervise and make sure the welds are strong, and I'm only getting the work done to it that I want done.

Great idea!

I agree , great idea re : sweep to work and learn ...
I had a nose on the net and I have to say if I was in the USA I might be thinking a bit more than beaten up cop car look ....

Labor trade is a great idea and get some learning in the process too. I've been in the shops position too with having people coming in to have work done but it just has to be a 20 footer by what they say they want. In reality most are expecting it to be concourse in finish when it gets down to it or they won't be happy and bag on the quality of the work THEY REQUESTED. Best thing to do was make it perfect since your shop/work rep is riding on it. I would get people coming in wanting a complete paint job, Goodguys show quality, and expect it to be $500. I finally got to where I would not burn up time in doing an estimate that would yield nothing work wise and tell them that the paint materials alone, PPG DBC base with $500 per gallon clear, was 3 grand just for the materials with NO LABOR included. We totally de-trimmed the vehicles[ correct way to do it and paint warranty voided if you did not do it this way]. Anyhow, your idea is sound and I hope it can be done for you.