bed patch panel question

[bigarmzz]

a friend of mine picked up a 86 short bed 4x4 really cheap, and is wanting to put on some patch panels on the bedsides.....

my question is...he (and i both) dont have any welders....cant we just put on the patch panel over the area, rivet it on (maybe 1 ever inch or so)...and hammer in around the panel, then putty it up???

i was just wandering if we could do it this way, instead of cutting out the area, and welding it in (like its suppose to be done)

i know i posted this in the paint and body section, but i got no responses, that's why i just put it here