If you can get it cheap from the insurance company, get it. Parting it out yourself is going to bring in way more, plus having spare parts is a plus. I JUST watched my perfect frame leave otherwise I would say have at it.
The problem with bobs to is they aren't going to drop much weight if you are just welding hatch back on and keeping the tailgate. Plus when you do that, you don't get to sell your parts to pay for the new materials. Mine is losing some major pounds. The sunroof is gone, door panels and motors...
I did that same crack locked in the rear with my e-locked 96 and it wasn't even close to a challenge. Too bad some wang from the state park department or something filled it in.
Yeah, in the back only. I get it on the same spot with the same tires on mine that is lifted now. If the wheels were out a pinch more, I don't think I would get it at all.
That's mine when I was just learning. btw, bumpstops were stock and the wheels are actually 4.75 inch backspace off an FJ Cruiser with no spacers. I have since went to a lifted 3x locked 96. This was a fun truck though.
Custom. You don't have as many o2 sensors to worry about either. And it will be WAY cheaper than all the other options. You can raise the clearance, and personal preference, skip the cost of bending something over the rear axle, just dump it out the side. A 3fe sounds killer with a flowmaster...
I was actually thinking about skinning some tube with fiberglass for the rear section and doing some lexan for the rear "glass" instead of using the rear hatch. (I like to leave as many parts whole as possible so I can set them later.) You can really drop some weight in the front seats. I went...
Love those tail lights. That's the route I'm going. Did you weigh the stuff you took off? 500 just seems a little high when keeping the hatch. Looks good.
500 whole or 2000 in parts would be my ballpark. But the time invested to part it out and get the stupid frame out of the garage... may not be worth 1500 to you. It was to me. There will always be parts chilling in your garage too. Could you backhalf it? Sure would be fun and you are not messing...
I like the 3fe. But if you are eventually going to want disk brakes or ever want more power, spend the extra cash and go with a newer one. Honestly, the 96+ with an OBD II is a big plus too.