Just a quick update. The shop has just taken delivery of the front panels for the bus. We decided to go for an all-in-one front sub-panel instead of separate panels as not only is it assembled on a jig and so should hopefully be nice and square, but it will also save a heap of time compared to assembling the individual panels on the bus.
The all-in-one front panel addresses the A-Pillar issue as well as saving time with a bunch of small repairs to other areas. At the moment the shop is just waiting for some early style doglegs to come in. The nose is a pre-loved one, it's not the original nose from the bus, which is on my garage wall and a little bit too far gone, but it is good enough for what is essentially a ratty bus. It needs a lower repair section but looks pretty good other than that. Always exciting to get progress updates. :D