BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE: Dirty Cossack's Build Options

[JoeDees]

I had every intention of making an introduction video, but I found that I had ruined my wide angle lens trying to film some cool shots of grinding. So while I'm waiting for the new lens to be delivered, I will go with this novel:
I bought the car about a year ago with the shortsighted intention of throwing it back together and having a driver until its turn came for rustoration. I bought the car and a carload of parts from a guy in Dallas who did some really shady work and an incredible job hiding other rust; magician style he distracted with his obvious poor work. The drivetrain was out of the car and registration said it had been sitting for 12 years, so I don’t know what made me think I could get it driving in a month… Soon after buying the car, my daily driver VW went down and needed a bunch of work and Uncle Sam gave me orders to move 800 miles. I fiddled with the 914 now and then, mostly just probing for rust, but focused my attention on prepping my other projects and VW for sale, knowing I could only bring one car with me and it had to be rolling so I couldn’t really tear into it. I’ve been here in the new, much smaller shop since June and have been slowly tearing into the 914 between honey-do new house projects, new job training, and getting the new shop in order.
As we sit now, the car is on jackstands with the rotisserie acting as additional bracing, the engine and trans are under a workbench, the bigger pieces of the car are using the extra bedroom (the one my wife says needs to be vacated when we get pregnant) and others in boxes in my closet. Tearing the car down, I’ve found almost everything worse than I expected. The gas tank is pretty nasty with rust, all 4 calipers are locked up and the wheel bearing grease congealed. Removing the bumpers I found some evidence of prior damage and filler. Further probes into the longs found some rust on the driver side, and the passenger side nearly shot. The hellhole was a known problem, and turned into a chasm. I haven’t really dove to much into the floor, but found rust around the firewall and under a seat mount. The good news seems to be in a relatively dry trunk and pedal area.
My project’s Big 5 jobs are: 1) Rust repair. 2) Body work and a complete repaint. 3) Complete overhaul of the brake system, bearings, CVs, getting the window to work and stuff like that. 4) Engine rebuild. 5) Customization: wart removal, interior work, and an attempt at making custom made bumper tops.
In this build off challenge I face multiple fronts of challenges: 1) I grew up helping my Dad fix VWs, redid a Triumph Spitfire in my early 20s with his help, and have done numerous small projects over the years, but this is my first full rustoration on my own. 2) I have a severely limited budget. I am active duty Army, and everybody knows that NCO paychecks leave much to be desired. 3) I’m often short on time. My current assignment is as an instructor requiring me to work 10-12 hour days and 50-60 hour weeks. 4) I have a bum knee that makes it almost impossible to crouch and am fighting a shoulder issue that makes working overhead painful (praying for no surgery). 5) Nothing but the windshield and fine machine work like the heads and crank will be farmed out, I’m doing this on my own.
Well this is where we are starting, and honestly, who knows where we’ll end up. I haven’t really decided on color, engine, or upgrades, though I’m leaning towards keeping the 1.7 Liter Fuel Injection unless a good deal on another engine arises. I’m also thinking of keeping the car black but going minimal chrome, but who knows what the good idea fairy will deliver. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do.

[JoeDees]

I'll start with a medical update: Physical therapy has given up and referred me back to the surgeon. In January the surgeon wouldn't touch it because muscles weren't working, now they kinda are... So the surgeon can do 3 things: convince my primary care doctor that my neck needs checked by a specialist, operate, or refuse to cut again which would mean that I would be medically discharged. The medical discharge is practically inevitable at this point, but I need to make it to next May because it will give me a magic number and allow me to walk into my next career as a teacher instead of doing a bunch of extra stuff.

Now the car.

It's been way to hot to really work on this thing, and I've sat out a weekend or 2; and the new job involved the craziest work week of my life so on Saturday I just lounged around drinking. Sunday I had the intention of installing the engine shelf and battery tray but I was getting frustrated by the terrible fitment of the AA engine shelf (came with the car) so I moved on the front corner and the idea of deleting the warts. I knew there was some body filler up there, but no idea how much. I first suspected a problem when I removed the bumper and saw some crinkle and got really scared when I first looked under the fender and saw the filler-seep through holes. I was tempted to keep the warts and this previous fix because it looked good, but I guess I love pain so I explored...

I am currently under investigation by UNESCO and pending trial at The Hague for destroying a previously unknown Michelangelo. But seriously, somebody was a very talented sculptor to do what they did. Now I've got to figure out what to do. I have several options: 1. Play Rodin myself with the filler. 2. Cut and patch the really lumpy areas. 3. Shop for a new fender. 4. Chalon (j/k. No way). I'm totally leaning towards 3.

Here are my concerns/questions: If I go with a new fender, how much do I use? The whole thing or just partial? If I'm going through this trouble, should I address that front clip too? Look at pics 1 and 8, see the crinkle and the improper lines below the light hole? Can I bang it right with the fender off for replacement, or does it need replaced too? This is a major issue--biggest since the long repair, if not bigger.

Let's hear some ideas on how to approach this. Meanwhile, I'm gonna be going back to that stupid engine shelf while I figure this out.