Thanks for all the comments...Ive decided that I dont want to dump $2K, and  I wouldnt sell it to anyone else in its present state , Ive already got a few tons of firewood left for winter so I'll persist with it.

At this stage I think I'll try and brace up the cabinet with steel strips and wood chocs, then at a later stage try and get a used cabinet and do a complete swap-over.

Cheers