It can be done
You fellows have "repaired" the area in a reasonable way. Lots have done similar with fine results
I wanted to give some counterpoint to bending those tabs by recounting a few tips that work well for making crisp and accurate bends in sheet metal. Same method works for other bends, not just the trim tabs.
First. Mark your bend line. It helps when jigging.
Make a bending die (or form) out of hardwood or aluminum angle. In ether case, the form needs a radius edge to form the bend corner. I would not use pinewood for this. It is too soft and does not hold its shape well.
Make a clamp block that completely clamps the sheet opposite the form for the length of the bend. This is important and makes the bending process a NON issue. The purpose is to make the sheet you do not want to bend completely immobile. If you don't do this, the radius will not be crisp. Clamp the h#ll out of it. Its a bit fiddly sometimes to get the form, sheet and clamp block all lined up with your bend mark and clamped. Take your time. If your jigging has a tendancy to slip. Fix it. It must be immobile and stay that way under hammer blows. Jigging time is 95%. Bending is 5%.
If you don't have a clue where to set the marked bend line relative to the form, get help. Its simple but impossible to explain in text. Need a picture or demo. If you read the books, don't get hung up on "setback". Its small for thin sheet small rad bends. If you do some test bends on scrap, you can figure it out pretty quick.
All jigged? Hit it.. I start with hands sometimes, but always finish with a piece of hardwood as a driver being struck by hammer. My favorite hardwood driver piece is about 1 inch square and about 8 inches long. Leftover from furniture project. Drive near the bend radius rather than out in the 'springy' part of the sheet.
I hope this helps somebody.
Note the 1/4" bolt through the form blocks way over to the right edge of the image. Without that, the angled form blocks will slip. BAD.
I don't have a picture from the elevator itself. I used the same form blocks. The bolt could not be used obviously, so I reverted to some thin double sided tape between elevator and block to hold the blocks in place while clamping with C-clamps or some such.
