When to make a car a parts car?

Like others have said - Only you can make the end decision. For me, $5k is a lot of cash for a parts car. Sounds more like one to restore. Slant car or not - it is a blank slate. Can you get $5k out of it after you take what you need, and save several other cars?

20 years ago, when I built my 69 ragtop Fury, that would have been a parts car to most people, I drug home a complete and very savable $500 Fury III 383 car. I needed the doors, fenders, hood and deck lid. The 383 is slated for my 68 ragtop B'cuda when I finally build the car in a few years. The rest got cut up and went to the scrap yard. I had also drug home a very savable 70 Newport ragtop for $300 for the seats and all the glass. Sold the 383 and the body separately and quadrupled my money on it. The Newport was in much better shape overall than my Fury was in the beginning.

12 years ago, we drug home the $400 65 B'cuda in my avatar for my oldest son when he was 14. It probably should have been a parts car - it was pretty rough. Made it his high school ride and he still has it.

Almost a year ago, we drug home a $400 73 Dart Sport for my 2nd son who is now 15. For what the body needs (roof skin, qtrs, all floors) , most people would have bought it for the interior, which is nearly perfect, and front clip and found another shell to build on.

My determining factor on all 3 has been the frame rails. Had they been toast, the cars would have become donors for something a little more solid. That, and subconsciously I must enjoy the challenge of saving them. Or maybe I just make poor choices... LOL