[Alfajay]

.How bad/expensive does this look? View attachment 1635546

VERY expensive. That's a parts car.

Now show us the one that needs engine work.

 

[Alfajay]

I've seen good body men/women do amazing things but it is an art and takes a long time to learn. I wouldn't dismiss that as a parts car but...

It would be worth pulling out if it were a '33 8C2300 Monza. Or perhaps if Brad had owned it for awhile and had already done the drive train, suspension, interior, .... before it got rear-ended. But given that he's starting from scratch, why take over someone else's headache? There are lots of mid-70's spiders out there.

 

[Alfajay]

Engine work over body work any day of the week. Motor can always be brought back to new. Body work, especially on older cars, never brought back to new especially if rusted.

... or severely collision damaged.

That was my point about that red spider that had been rear-ended. Buy a car like that, fix the body as well as you can afford, then after a few years when you have spent time and money going through the drivetrain, suspension, interior, etc. you're going to always regret not spending another few bucks to get one with a less molested body. As Alfamagnate wrote, you can never fully correct major body damage, whether due to rust or collision.