Nearly Complete with hidden rust or A Shell with little rust, Which would you rather start with? Options

[Dwight]

I have a decision to make but unsure of the way forward. Would you guys rather start with a nearly complete car with hidden rust that may have to be tore down and fixed or a car that is ONLY a shell with little rust to repair? Help me make the best decision and thanks in advance.

[Superhawk996]

I'm a contrarian by nature, that's how I ended up with a 914 despite growing up around Camaro's, Monte Carlo's, Chevelle's and other V8 machinery!

I on my 2nd 914 I started with a car that was largely complete but in need of complete underbody restoration and lot's of new sheet metal. My first 914 was "rust free" 14 years old (1973 1.7L purchased in 1987) and it looked perfectly sound but I still found rust when prepping it for new paint. Now event the newest 914's (1976) are at least 43 years old.

Rust never sleeps.

When I'm done with this 2nd car, I know exactly what I have and it will last the rest of my life before the rust becomes a problem again.

If I lived closer to CA and had easy access to a population of "rust free" cars I might feel differently but I also believe there is no such thing as rust free. These cars come from an era prior to the invention of Galvanneal, e-coat, and modern rust preventative measures. They all have rust somewhere and to some degree.

Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not there. It often starts inside the longitudinals and other structural members and then works it's way out.