engine and drivetrain parts car dilemma! (a bit long...)

[hpsenicka]

OK.. here's my story....

After giving up ownership of a 1975 2002 to my kid brother about 20 years ago, I caught the bug again and bought a pair of 1973 Sahara 2002's this summer.... one of them complete, has been repainted Polaris and is essentially roadworthy ( still needs some fairly serious debugging...). The second car is basically just a rolling chassis with the interior, engine, and drivetrain mostly stripped.

The driveable car was unfortunately hit in the trunk area ( the reason the PO sold it..) causing damage to the taillight panel, the trunklid, and the left rear quarter panel. The trunk floor is also a bit bent, but repairable without much trouble. The damaged panels have been crudely hammered out to allow the trunk lid to operate, and the tail-lights to be re-installed.

I could cut the trunk section off the rolling chassis and have it grafted on to repair the collision damage, but it almost seems a shame to cut a complete undamaged chassis. The alternative would be to source a rear clip, including the L/R quarter... and save the "roller" for another project. I think it is solid enough that it could be the basis for a race-car project or a ground up restoration if some one is appropriately motivated.

Any input regarding where I might find a relatively clean and straight rear clip would be appreciated. How much should I expect to pay for those panels? Conversely, what would be the value of my complete chassis?? A trade would not be out of the question either....

Edit: I haven't really investigated the cost of new panels, as I assumed they would be prohibitively expense.... at least through the local BMW dealers in Canada!

What would you do??

[Steve73tii]

Me again. Guess who's bored at work...

I have a parts car with a fairly straight rear clip and almost everything else bent. Engine might be OK, too. Email me.

Steve

[scottt]

First, my opinion has been influenced by my Scottish ancestry, but here it is.

You own a car that needs a rear clip, you own a parts car that has a good rear clip, problem solved.

[_z_]

I feel your pain. I keep buying 'parts cars' that turn out to be way too nice to cut up. They don't have titles and then I get to looking at them and suddenly they become another project. I just wish once I could get one that was really wrecked but still had all the parts I need.

anyway

There is a place in California that has good prices on used body pannels, doors n stuff --

double02salvage.com

[Paul7002]

Move the good stuff from the running but bent car into the non-running but straight car.

[Ryan]

just an idea...what if you drive the drivable one for now(keep it safe/reliable) while you 'work' on the other, get the body super nice and then swap all your parts from the running car. you can clean/paint/lube/polish your parts as you go, and in the end you will have a really nice(not welded/crashed) done-rite 02.

Ryan

[DukeRimmer]

Rear collision is bad as rust. Use it up and restore the straight one.

[SteveJ]

First, my opinion has been influenced by my Scottish ancestry, but here it is.

You own a car that needs a rear clip, you own a parts car that has a good rear clip, problem solved.

My Scottish heritage is usually over-ridden by the fact that I am also an engineer and a pack-rat. If it can be fixed, it will be fixed. Or at least saved to fix at a later date with all the other projects.