Old Metal wall and Coping are one piece - options?

[mjfric]

Hi, went to have our coping and liner replaced from 1960s inground vinyl pool. Local reputable pool guys tried taking white white metal coping off and couldn't; cut a section off and showed me under the coping was dirt and the coping and wall were the same piece of metal, not connected by fasteners. He was surprised, said it was old, and trying to figure out a affordable solution.

My question - since other pools must have been made like this what have other people done? (aside from total wall rebuild).

Can the coping be cut off around pool perimeter and walls somehow connected to new coping, or maybe walls connected into a cement pour where the coping was? (we have concrete around pool).
The 1960's coping is very rusted out, holes, low areas, etc and would require extensive grinding and bondo work.
Thanks in advance.