Thanks for the reply, Boss. I thought about drilling blind holes from the back and attaching with small self-tappers, but I think the aluminum is too soft for that. The Torino will eventually get big-blocked and the Cleveland is planned to be a replacement or back-up motor for my (as-yet-undiscovered) Pantera project. I hate to start drilling on something original like these plates, so I think I'll look for another set of covers for now. I'll keep the originals original (unrestored and in pieces) for now and see what develops. If you run across any low-rust early Panteras (or Mangustas) with a lot of "deferred maintenance," let me know!
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