dvw Let say you take two cars, Car A is this car, a rusted 71 383 R/T Shaker car. Car B is a standard east coast car of same options, needing quarters, fenders, floors, firwall and cowl etc.

Price calculations...

Car A: Cost of car $3000 Cost of sheetmetal $12000 Total $15000

Car B: Cost of car $9000 Cost of sheetmetal $6000 Total $15000

Now were talking rough estimates here but i can tell you that those are real figure based off of a car i sold and this car. The cost is going to be roughly the same, yes you might be better off finding a "better canidate" but find me another 71 challenger R/T 383 shaker car is FJ6 in better shape. I highly doubt you could find another. At the end of the day your going to be looking at similar figures on both shells. So cost to me i dont see much of a difference unless your paying a restoration shop $75 and hour. At that point yes your looking at potentially a $10,000 difference.

At the end of the restoration of this car there is going to be one more Challenger saved and on the road, not melted down to become a Toyota Prius.