[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by cleszkie

I was just about to suggest cutting out the mounting location on the pillar, fishing the lost plate out through the new hole in the pillar with a magnetic probe, re-affixing the plate cage to the backside of the cut out mounting location, and then welding the cut out back into place in the pillar followed by some light grinding and bodywork. But now I see you don't want to damage fresh paint. You may not have another alternative. you really need to have full access to the plate and cage to do the job right. The limits of the paint damage can be minimized such that a small amount of touch up painting should be all you need.

This would be the right way to repair it once and you could have paint back on by the end of today ? a paint touch up in the door jam would be the easiest place to have a problem happen . Or you could spend days thinking about it and after fabbing a new plate and possibly drop it down the pillar only to have to start again . Bite the bullet and cut it open .