Like everybody else said, it is risky in terms of money and time. For the money and stress you will spend fixing it you can easily go buy a decent car. You may have to get out of state if you are in a rust belt. If the car has an unusually nice interior and such, it may be worth parting out. But, parting out is not as easy as it sounds either. You get plenty dirty and it can take time away from other projects, etc. You could buy another car just like it and combine the cars to make one. I would be looking closely at the car to see if it is a localized problem or a systemic event. If the bird cage is rusted badly, the car is worthless except for parts. Don't fall in love with it. There are plenty of cars like it out there. If you want a nice car, save your money and buy one with fairly low miles and not hit. They are out there and in the long run you will save a ton of money. Good luck, Terry