There's a 1947 Willys Station Wagon that I am thinking of buying and customizing. One of the things I was thinking about was removing the rain gutters. I can MIG and TIG weld, as well as have basic metal forming skills, but I have a couple of questions.

1 - Can I just cut out and/or or grind down the gutters (and fill any gaps with metal as needed), or is there something special structurally about this area that I need to be aware of?

2 - If I remove them, am I in for a world of hurt everytime it rains, or will having good windows and seals keep everything okay?

Thanks,
PeterM