It depends upon how the posts for the vent rib were fastened to the original rib. I once had a Parker DHE 28 gauge that had a vent rib with round posts, the posts were mounted by threads to the original rib! Guess that the holes could be covered and re-matted but probably not practical. It went down the road as is.

I learn something every day, and a lot of times it's that what I learned the day before was wrong