Body-swap or body-work?

[burgundy83]

I've been planning on what I want to do with my car after I'm done school, and the rust is driving me nuts. Every panel minus the pass. fender has rust on it, the worst being the driver's quarter, seems like she'll go through in another year or so.

I'm not looking for anything perfect, a little rust is fine, so I've been considering the body swap from another 4 door. What's the harder one to do? Considering thet I'm a sh*t welder but fine at sanding and painting lol

The reason for considering the body swap is I had the car up on a hoist at school for a brake job, and got to see the underside for the first time. Damn near perfect, and the only car that had less rust on the frame out of at least a dozen was an '04 Beetle (gross)

Any advice would be appreciated since I've never done anything like this

 

[Bowiemontecarlo86]

Honestly I would by another body with a good frame and swap my engine over. Then use the one you got for parts for the new one. After you got the car looking good sell the frame and all left over parts to recoup some of your money back. Or just scrap the rest for the cash.

 

[Blake442]

It's a 4-door. A little rust isn't a big deal... Just drive it into the ground.
Put all that money you save towards buying another car that's rust-free.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Whats are the odds of finding a rust free body for a good deal where your at? I dont see that happening. If I were you I would just fix what you got unless theres a few panels that arent salvageable. You can teach yourself body work along the way like I did

 

[burgundy83]

Whats are the odds of finding a rust free body for a good deal where your at? I dont see that happening. If I were you I would just fix what you got unless theres a few panels that arent salvageable. You can teach yourself body work along the way like I did

Very good point. I guess one can't really screw up doing body work, you can just start over again, and I'm not afraid of teaching myself

It's a 4-door. A little rust isn't a big deal... Just drive it into the ground.
Put all that money you save towards buying another car that's rust-free.

Just because it's a 4 door doesn't mean it isn't worth fixing up, and I'd have to drive all the way across the continent to find a rust free car haha

 

[Blake442]

There should be plenty relatively rust-free cars just south of you in North Dakota. They don't salt the roads there.
My '87 Cutlass spent it's whole life there(16 years). It wasn't perfect, but it was suprisingly clean when I bought it in '03.