Thinking of parting with my Nova... what should I do?

[BurnoutNova]

I'm kind of at a crossroads with my car. I've had the car for 10 years, since I was 14, 24 now so kind of grew up with it, It was my first car, ect ect. I love Nova's, they are definately a car that defines me even my friends call me "nova" as a nickname. The trouble is the car is NOT in the kind of shape I want my "dream" car to be in. It's gotton tremendously worse since I've had it, always sat outside, rusty, ect. It needs EVERYTHING as far as bodywork. Still has the original Cranberry red paint, has rust in the floor pans, quarters, outer wheelhouses, trunk, ect. It will aslo need EVERTHING on the interior, seats, carpet, door panels, ect.

I am capable of doing the bodywork myself, done a few cars they turned out pretty good. I could definately make the car nice enough to be happy with it, BUT I've been down this road before redoing cars. I just dont want to dump 10K into a car that will never be worth more than that. I have atleast that much into the drivetrain as it sits. About the only thing it has going for it is the drivetrain parts. I have alot of parts for it, just need to put it together... rebuilt dz302 w/ ported World Motown heads, big solid roller, msd igniton, EVERYTHING done to the motor, alum radiator, 4.10 posi with richmod gears, built th400 w/ 3800 stall, ect. It would/will be a fun car to drive, but looks like crap.

I'm contemplating putting a stock 350 in it, selling it for maybe like $2000??? After tha cars gone sell off all my parts I know I could get like $3000 for the 302 motor, maybe like another $300 for the trans. THEN looking for a really nice original 68-70 bigblock nova, or an original ss 4 speed car or somthing. Not afraid to spend some money, I just think I'll be money ahead in the long run buying a car thats nice already.

Sooo... Have any of you guys let there first car or first Nova go and really regretted it? I went thru this with my 71 Chevy truck, spent more redoing it than I could have bought a nice one for. Just trying to figure out what to do.