Hey all, just spitballing about the possibility of swapping drivetrain onto a donor chassis. For some context, I have a 2010 c30 T5 that recently got into an accident (F*cking kangaroos) and I'm wondering if its a worthwhile project to get the engine/box/interior and put it into a donor chassis. The only things I really need with the donor is the suspension (and chassis ofc), as it is shot on my current car.
I'm guessing I can get a "rolling shell" of sorts for a similar or older model c30 for about 1-2k, get the ecu reprogrammed at a dealer to match the new chassis Vin, put one in the other and I'm good to go. Being in Victoria, I shouldn't need engineering documentation, as the engine could have been optioned stock.
So I suppose the big question is, can I get a donor cheap enough, and how much will reprogramming cost? I can't imagine the ECU will be cheap, especially from a dealer. But I have looked around online and base model c30s can go cheap when they're available.
I'm aware this isn't the most fiscally intelligent decision, but I already have another car to drive, so there's no time limit, and I am emotionally attached to the car. It was my first Volvo, and one of my favorite cars I've owned. Mechanically A1 too, with an (almost) perfect interior.