If the body work and welding were done correctly and maybe if the price can be lowered by not taking the engine and trans, it might be worth a look, you never know. Sounds like he has some new parts, that might not be what you want, see if he wants to sell it without those new parts. The initial price tag might sound high, but negotiation always start high.
A clean NJ title is worth some $$ to avoid the hassles.
That one looks better (potentially) than this one for $15.5K
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Ca...703&rmvSB=true