[PeterAllen]

I bought a compete statutory write-off. At the time, Jan '08, wreckers wanted $7500 for an engine and gearbox. I purchased a 2005 VZ SS LS1 Ute wreck from an auction for $5200 and with a little persuasion from my wife I had it stripped in 3 weeks and the shell taken away free. I sold off on eBay the undamaged bits I didn't want (not too many - it had rolled) for $2500 and hung on to some stuff for possible inclusion, radio, etc. Someone paid >$200 for the towbar!

A big part of my thinking was that I didn't want to be running back to the wrecker for little but costly, auxilary items. For example, I used the fuel tank fittings and pump, the diff, horn and other stuff some of which talked to the ECU, e.g. cruise control.