Thank you for your kind words, Steve!
..and you can call me Jack...
Yeah, I was pretty intent on eliminating the fillers altogether, even though I have a set of decent replacements.
Don't discount the job that you did on yours. They were done very well and so subtly, that you can hardly tell anything was done...especially rechroming them.
I actually added metal in the upper rear corners from the pieces that I sliced off of the bumper...same gage of course.
I think had I left them alone, I definitely would have had to use the fillers to take up the gaps. It did require some further welding and grinding, but I feel it was worth it.
I will be replacing the '79 header panel for an '81. Hopefully it will look just as good.
Once again, I like what you did to yours, and I also like the mounting plates that you fabbed...nice pieces. When I cut mine, I would have used a band saw like you did. But I used what I had...die grinder/ cut-off wheel.
Thanks again buddy! I'm sure this thread will inspire other guys who want to achieve the narrowed bumper look.