I also tend to rebuild or sometimes re purpose planes or their parts. I am currently rebuilding an old arf. I am now in the painting process. It is just a few threads from this thread. I really got involved with it.
I have salvaged plane parts from the garbage can that someone else tossed. Or they asked me if I wanted the remains. I still have several wings to turn back into flyable planes. Pulled straight from the garbage can. One wing I have I am going to rebuild into a control line plane. I have even salvaged stabs and turned them into the wing of a control line plane (.049 from a .35 sized rc). If the square area is right and that is what is left of the plane, why not.
Sometimes rebuild is harder than the virgin build was I have been working on my current rebuild for over 6 months now.