"New" 914. Is it worth restoring? Options

[Lemmonhead]

New member to the 914 world. I just bought this car yesterday as a project car for me and my son and now wondering if I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I am mechanically inclined and do most of the mechanical work on the cars I have owned but this may be a little more than my pay grade. I have never welded or done body work.
It is a 1972.
I purchased it from an older lady for $1000, it belonged to her son who passed away about 5 years ago. She needed the money and I initially thought it would be a good project. It has been sitting in the elements and baking in the hot sun of Las Vegas for the last 5 years, so every piece of rubber and the interior is shot. The engine is there but I have no idea what condition it is in. She thought it may have ran when it was parked but is unsure. No keys to the car.
We are on a budget and would like to bring the car back to a daily driver status. What do you all think?

She tried to cover the car with tarp and tape it down with duct tape but that didn't last long.

[barefoot]

Remove the rocker panels and look for rust where dirt has packed up under there and around the jack posts, then under the battery tray. Can't see from photos, how are the rear door gaps. With doors open, jump up & down on the door sills to see if it appears solid.
If the top has been off without the tarp, there's probably rust on the floors particularly under the seats. Remove seats and scrape off some tar on the floors before you write this one off.
I was able to find one being parted out and got seats, back pad, door panels, targa top, sections of the floor around the emergency brake and lots of other bits that mine was missing for $400.
Good luck !

[Lemmonhead]

Remove the rocker panels and look for rust where dirt has packed up under there and around the jack posts, then under the battery tray. Can't see from photos, how are the rear door gaps. With doors open, jump up & down on the door sills to see if it appears solid.
If the top has been off without the tarp, there's probably rust on the floors particularly under the seats. Remove seats and scrape off some tar on the floors before you write this one off.
I was able to find one being parted out and got seats, back pad, door panels, targa top, sections of the floor around the emergency brake and lots of other bits that mine was missing for $400.
Good luck !

Thanks, this answers some of the questions I was going to ask.