Parts car or daily driver?

[Dan Cordon]

Jesse wrote:
> I just picked up a parts car to repair the damage done to my car when my neighbors house burnded down.  Wen i got it home and was able to really look it over i realized that in almost every way the parts car is MUCH cleaner, straighter, better then the car i was hoping to repair.  The only thing that i am a bit worried about is underneath.  The car had been sitting near the edge of a parking lot at a local used car lot.  There is surface corrosion all underneath it with a few spots of surface rust, but none of it appears to be deep into the metal.
>     So, my question is this.  Should I drive the new car and use burnt car or parts?  Or is the corrosion somthing to worry about.  Would i be able to spray the underside with somthing to get rid of the corrosion (sand, walnut shells, water) then spray coat with an inhibitor of some kind?  Having seen teh car i would prefer to swap the motor over and use the new one, since that would be much easier the removing glass, pannels, interior e.t.c to the burnt car.

What car is this again? I thought most of the audi bodies were 
musti-stage dipped to keep corrosion away. Is it the unit-body that's 
got surface rust, or something like the sub-frame or suspension components?

If it's just the sub frame, or even parts that are forward of the motor 
mounts then I wouldn't be too concerned about the surface rust. 
Especially if you're going to blast it and re-coat. If there was a lot 
of rust under the car or all over the unit-body then I may consider 
otherwise. Having fought rust of many older vehicles, it can be a 
near-never ending battle.

-- 
Dan Cordon
Mechanical Engineer
University of Idaho - Engine Research Facility