Dillema - which is the parts car?

I'm trying to get rid of these cars, but I'm losing ground. Bought another one - I'm back up to 7. Same scenario - bought it for parts, but it's too nice to throw away. Should I part one of these out to fix the others or go buy #8 and fix all of them?

Here's the inventory - I don't remember the model year for each car, but I don't think I have any '01s right now:

Silver, 250k miles, cracked windshield, leather interior but torn driver's seat, needs brake booster. I have a booster out of a 50k miles flood car, but not sure it's good. Otherwise, the car runs great, but clearcoat is gone on the roof/trunk lid.

Green, 150k, wrecked front end replaced, just needs to be painted now, rest is very nice.

Ice blue, 237k, my daily driver, no problems, paint a little faded, one small dent.

purplish blue, 85k, very small dent on quarter panel, rest is nice

silver, 95k, fuel tube rusted, rust of front fenders, passenger door dent, steering wheel shake,

while, 70k, wrecked on passenger side, runs great, very nice. have to replace the b-pillar.

white, <100k, unknown issues. not wrecked. (haven't seen it in a couple of years, lol)

I bought the 70k car thinking the pillar replacement was too much work and I'd just part it out - get the booster for one car, the hybrid battery for my other white car, the fuel tube and fenders for my rusty silver car.

Picked it up yesterday, and it drives great. I have no clue about the other white car, and now thinking this bird in the hand might be better than seeing if a battery fixes that other white car. Instead, I could part out the other white car and fix this one and the others.

Or, I part out the 250k miles car. That brake booster is hard work, and I'd have to find a shop to fix that seat. It's got the most miles. If I use its fenders and door to repair the rusty car, I don't have to paint.

Downside to that one - I bought it with a stolen cat and have replaced it, whereas parting out either of the white ones yields a $700 cat I can sell.

The answer is that I really need to get that other white one out of storage and see what's wrong with it. I just know it doesn't have many miles and wasn't running when I bought it 4 years ago, lol. If all it needs is a battery, I should save it. But, it's been parked outside, so the paint is trash for sure.

Replacing that pillar is a bit of work, and probably better to let a pro do.

I got other doors, fenders, seats, but a different color.

Such a mess. I really just need to stop. I'd hate to buy another parts car. At the same time, I know where there's another cherry - not a scratch on it and less than 100k. Just what I need.

 

Thanks, dolj. That's what I've been doing for years now - buying old ones and piecing them together. I've had close to 20 of these cars. But now, I only want nice ones. I've had several now that look and drive like new cars - and they're great cars.

Actually, at this point I have all the parts I need to repair all the cars, except that rusted filler tube, one driver's side fender, and one hybrid battery (assuming there's nothing else wrong with that white car in storage). I actually have two batteries, each one with a couple of weak cells, that I can make one good battery from.

I bought the car last week for.those parts - but seeing how nice it is, I hate to tear it up. Not many of these cars with only 70k miles left.

TBC, I get most of the parts free - I buy wrecked ones, grab what I need, and sell the rest to get my money back. I've done that 3 times now and broke even every time. I know where there's a wrecked one right now I can do that to and get all the rest of the parts, I just have to drive out of state to get it. Not a big deal - doesn't cost much to drive there at 50mpg, and all the parts I need will fit in the back seat/trunk. I strip it right there, then have it towed it to a local scrap metal yard. and drive back home with free parts.

I usually get on UShip and look for some cargo to carry on the way there. Or, if I'm buying a running car out of state, I find cargo coming back to pay for my plane ticket there. Sounds crazy, not much cargo will fit inside these cars, but I've found something every time to pay gas/hotels..

 

Well, I bought another parts car instead. Passenger side is wrecked, but still runs/drives fine. Rest of the body is nice, silver. I'm going to scavenge the fuel filler neck, steering rack, rear bumper, and driver's side fender to fix my Minnesota car. Paint colors match. Grab the brake booster pump to fix my other silver car. Grab the hood and passenger seat to fix my white car. I'll use the HV battery for my white car that's in storage. Got a nice set of tires and wheels that I'll swap over to the MN car. I need a drivers front strut on Old Reliable and my son needs the passenger side for his car.

Got this one for $500. I can immediately sell the cat for $700. I'm going to take a lot of other spare parts off, and should get about $200 for what's left from the scrapyard. That gets me all the parts I need for all my cars except my two white ones. The white one I bought last week will now only need the passenger-side pillar. The one up in storage doesn't need anything that I'm aware of except a battery.

I'll have some parts if anyone needs something. Drivers side doors, trunk lid, head/tail lights. I don't care to mess with engine parts, but I will be tearing it down a bit to get the booster pump, so if there's something easy, I might grab it for you. Otherwise, anyone who wants the carcass with a good motor and drive train, come and get it for the same $200 the scrap metal guy pays.

If I can just get all the work done, I should have 7 very nice cars when I'm through. Thinking I'll try to sell all but one, maybe as a set of 6. So if you know anyone that would like six Gen1 Prii, let them know, LOL

 

Lost on this one. The cat has been replaced already. It's supposed to run but the 12v was dead. I'll jump it this morning to confirm. I might sell the HV battery to get my money back.

The car itself is in great shape - the parts left. Like it's been garaged all it's life. I was going to scavenge the fender and door for my MN car, but I'll now swap over the hood and front bumper as well, they're nicer. Seats are extra clean too, so swap them into another car, although all of mine are pretty nice now. Otherwise, just the driver's side doors and trunk lid left. And all the engine/transmission stuff. I'll probably take the inverter, injectors, coils/plugs, air cleaner/sensor, maybe a throttle body - I don't have a spare now. And, of course, that brake booster and steering rack, front struts, nice wheels/tires. Head/tail lights good.

All in all, OK, I'll get my money back and a lot of free parts, but really wanted that cat. Lmk if you need something.

 

OK, jumped right off. HV battery charged to full in a couple of minutes. If anyone wants to buy a nice car from the driver's side, lmk, lol. Runs great. Just pass girls walking on the opposite side of the street so they don't see the passenger side.

 

Yep, I got two. Drove the cars and brakes worked fine. One is that blue one I showed you a pic of - just got home in it last night. Shame it got hit, for a car with that many miles, it was well maintained and drove as nice as any I've had. Let me see which part Mr. Dine needs, hopefully, y'all want different ones. I'm trying to save one for my car and I many have another car that needs one.

 

are you looking for a door or trying to sell the car?