"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.

[mgp4591]

Patience is definitely the key here. If the car is an original Vegas car, you may not have terrible rust issues. The sun will bake ANY interior in that extreme heat if not protected. This car need more inspection which is what you'll need to do even if you start parting it out - if you don't know what you have, you can't really determine what it's worth. Tear it apart, check all the aforementioned areas, then make an accurate assessment of how to proceed. If the metal is good, you're golden. If not, upping your skill set is a challenge and a good thing!
Whatever you decide, good luck. These little cars are a blast to drive and if it helps you and your son work together to a good outcome, that's a bonus that's hard to put a price on!
Oh, and..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)