The Sentra dilemma. AKA I bought a parts car and I'm not sure what to do with it.

Okay, so I've bought a parts car, and there are two distinct directions I can go with it, and I want your input on which way I should go with it.

A little back story: I've had my 01 Sentra for about nine years, it's served me quite well and I've got lots of memoires with it. It's a rebuilt wreck, and over the years the shoddy work had taken it's toll, and the car has started to rust in the rockers and floorpan (the car was rear ended and the body shop cut the car in half and clipped it)

Over the years the weatherproofing has worn off and the car has started to rust where it was welded back together.

This parts car is cheap, $400, and is the same make and model, same engine (SR20) and is wrecked in the front, however this one has an automatic transmission. It also has fewer miles and a clean title. It also has a sunroof and the interior is really clean, it's also the same color as my car.

Here's my dilemma, I can go two directions with this project, but body work is required regardless.

Option one: cut the rockers, and floor pan from this parts car, and use it to fix my current car, then pull some parts and scrap the shell.

Option two: take front body panels from my current car, fix the parts car, swap over my manual transmission and drive the new car.

Now I have no experience with body work, or transmission swaps. Nor have I determined where I'll be doing this work being as I have no shop space of my own, or a welder, but I'm determined!!

If I fix the $400 car, I'm swapping transmissions, and fixing the body damage. If I fix my current car, I'm only doing body work.

This car is serves as a daily driver, and autocross car. I have two kids and I need four doors. The list of cars with four doors, a limited slip, and a manual trans are really thin, and plus I don't do debt, so I'm pretty much stuck driving this car for a bit.

It's stupid reliable and still so so much fun to drive, and I hate to replace it.

So what say ye, GRM?

If it's mostly sheet metal, I say swap the good parts from the original vehicle onto the new "parts car." This entirely dependant on how borked the front end is.

There's only one way to learn this stuff. Do you have a mechanically adept buddy who likes beer? A transmission swap is doable in a weekend. It pounds like the body work on your current car is a no-go.

Edit -SOUNDS. It sounds like bodywork on the current car is a no-go.

Save manual swap for a rainy day?

In reply to wheelsmithy:

This is GRM, you're suggesting I autocross an automatic, FWD four cylinder car?!

PREPOSTEROUS!!

I forgot to add that the radiator is smashed and the radiator support is bent. The front passenger fender structure looks bent, and there's a rust hole on the passenger front strut tower.

I'll have pics when the car arrives.

The clean title is really tempting, as well as the nicer interior, I just don't know about the front end damage, much more critical stuff there whereas the current car is cut out rot, weld in new metal, bondo, paint.

I would definitely be manual swapping the clean chassis one.

option three, buy my 02 manual SE-R in a couple weeks when the new computer arrives?

I saw the car with Brandon yesterday. My vote is the trans swap and front end repair because the damage to the parts car really isn't that bad.

I hate being attached to a car. In my head I know it's just steel, glass and rubber but I cringe when I think about using it for parts.

Another vote for option 2.