Hey dont give up on it, mechanics are weird cult. Mine always says - if engine doesnt leak, its good. I really dont understand laws and customs in usa, and i dont know prices of parts or mechanics, but ive been through reanimating my nissan countless times. if you cant scrap it, means you still have it? try few mechanics, explain them that you need a car badly, and ask what it takes to just make it safe for moving from A to B, not for cruising post Gadaffi Libya. Can you get cheap used parts at scrapyards?