Welding/Repairing Rust 01 Sierra

[ryans69chevy]

I got the typical bed rust on my 01 GMC Sierra. Both wheel arches are rusting away. I thought it was just surface, so tonight I took a screwdriver to start scraping the paint flakes and rust scales so I could sand it clean and spray primer. Soon i was scraping holes through. Realized it was more than I thought.

A few questions for you guys -

I found a pair of repair panels for $105 to do both sides from am-autoparts. Not sure if they are any good or not. Just tried to find the cheapest price. Does anybody know of any good panels that fit nicely without any big modifications?

I'm planning on doing all the work while the bed is still on the pickup. I'm looking for safety points on what I can do to be safe since I'll be welding in close proximity to the fuel tank. What things should I do to keep myself safe during this project? I'm use to welding on panels that are off a vehicle.

My plan for this pickup is to repair the panels and put it up for sale. So I don't want to put a lot of money into it.

Thanks for the suggestions.