engine or body swap ?

So I now have a 97 D1 auto 300tdi with a smashed in roof and front doors etc but probably save-able engine and transmission on a good chassis....

...and a late 96 D1 manual with a pretty good body (couple of sill and back floor patches needed) and pretty fair chassis but no engine in.....

Do I a) put the 96 manual body on the 97 auto engine and chassis

or b) put the 97 engine and auto tranny etc into the 96 body

or c) some combination of the above ?

obviously this is and can only be a massively broad generalisation as one would need to see the respective vehicles and parts to know. But on the whole, does anyone have any remarks based on experience of the scenarios ?

I would have thought an engine swap would be easier ?

have you got means of lifting body ie fork lift as if you had i would swap body and do welding while off

Farming! Can always get the use of a telehandler or big tractor foreloader for a drink or 3!
In fact, if it werent for one of my farming neighbours, my japspec D1 would mostlike still be in the lane on its side....he was en route to feed his cows using a tractor to shift a round bale and kindly pulled the truck onto its wheels and right side up....after 2 hours fannying by police.RAC wouldnt recover as I was less than 200m from my gate. All the police were interested in was whether we were all running on red diesel.But, as ever, I digress.....

....yes,the means of a body lift can be found but only for a couple of hours at a time.