67/68/69 cuda dilemma

Are you sure your wife isn't cool with you building it for her? Did you ask her? It sounds like she was cool with it at first, then she made a facebook post just in fun, and maybe you took it too seriously? That sounds like something my wife would say to have fun with her friends, then say nice things about it later (to both me and them). Or, maybe she really doesn't get it, I don't know your wife, but it sure does seem like a major turnaround.

At any rate, definitely agree with Rani, don't scrap the shell no matter what happens. It looks like a pretty solid starting point, and I'm sure there's lots of people who have pretty decent complete cars that are rusty, and it could be mated up to save a car. They haven't made a single one of those since 1969 you know.