Hey guys,
Don't feed Mike the idea the car is totalled. As long as the frame is straight, it can be fixed. Especially Mike knows where to find good parts easily.
I, for one, know the anxiety and discomfort that knowing the car could be totalled. Last December I hit a deer and it looked bad. The insurance co. told me they were going to total the car sight unseen, for it is a 98. I was so upset for quite a while, until the adjuster came and decide not to total the car. Then, Mike came over, with some junk yard parts he found for me, and helped me to restore the car with masterful skills.
I really hope he can get his baby back. He has been playing with a 3L idea. So if the engine is gone, put a 3L in. Other body parts are easy to come by - as long as the unibody is straight.
Let's give him more support, less idea talking about the car is totalled, should we?