old 4.8x image upload bug

Hello,

We host and have developed around 70-80 IC-based sites, a handful of 
which run the old 4.8 branch. A client recently told me about a bug that 
we cannot for the life of us figure out how to fix, and I'm hoping 
someone out there wouldn't mind dusting off their 4.8x thinking caps.

The problem is related to this post:
http://www.icdevgroup.org/pipermail/interchange-users/2003-November/036270.html

This deals with providing multiple image upload fields on any screen 
(like item_edit.html). Basically, the problem is that on insert 
everything loads into the correct columns, but on update, any image 
upload fields seem to "move" to the first available image upload-type 
column that is empty. Mike Heins posted a patch to Data.pm in the link 
above, but it unfortunately does not apply to the 4.8 branch.

We have modified most of the Foundation files for various reasons, but 
not too much alteration has been done to Primitive.pm or Data.pm which I 
believe is where the code may need to be patched.

Anyway, I am hoping this is a relatively quick fix, but am obviously 
more then happy to compensate for anybody that can help. Please let me 
know if anyone out there wants to take a quick look back in time :)

Thanks,
Michael