Early 1970 914 original barn find..., Going to see it Friday, owner finally wants to sell it... Options

[oakdalecurtis]

Ok Brain Trust! I am going with another 914 owner to Sonora, Ca this Friday to look at a 1970 barn find. This 2nd owner said the car has been in his barn for 20 years, that it ran when went in, and has been rolled about but never started over the years. VIN # is 4702902635, which I believe would make it the 2,635th 914 built in the first year of production, 1970. The odometer says a little over 60K miles. We will check the engine number, but have no reason to believe it is not all original. He says that other than the obvious cosmetic issues outside, there is no bondo that he could find (magnet checked) and no chassis rust (I know, we've all heard that before. We'll look Friday as best we can, hell hole, trunks, etc, but won't be able to remove the rockers).
Question: IF we can roll the car, AND the brakes are not seized, AND the engine rotates in gear, AND I bring a battery and fire extinguisher, would it be ok to hook up the battery, turn the ignition just to the "on" position and see if the gauges come to life? IF they do and that checks out positively, what about trying to start it? I know the fuel is probably crap, and the fuel lines COULD leak, but if it all seems good up to that point, what about a test start up?
I will try to find the engine number on the top of the engine. Besides lots of photos and checking the obvious areas for rust, what else might we want to know about?
It looks like it has the original standard VW steelie wheels and caps, correct for these early 914's.
Shouldn't it have a 1.7 label on the back along with the 914 label?
I will ask him for all records that he has also.
I convinced the owner to let the car go to someone who wants a project car. I told him I would be willing to post all photos and info that I get there on this site and see if any members here would like to BAT and get his project car. My GUESS at this point, with this info, is I would recommend a price around $3500.
Any further thoughts or comments before my Friday visit? Think I'm close on a price recommendation, with what we know so far?

[wonkipop]

do not attempt to start the car in situ.
since you are not buying it - simply informing of its existence, you will highly likely ruin the car/engine for someone who wants it. esp so if that engine is intact and original.

don't do anything to it. its worth more if you don't mess with it.

hard to know from those photos, but car looks like its fairly unmolested.

body looks like someone had a go at shaving warts and removing usual dents,
moon dent in rear boot lid, supermarket battle damage down sides.

all 914s have rust.

i think value at 2K perhaps a little unkind to the car.
its somewhere around what you suggest at 3.5 if its a sound car?
but hard to know from photos you have shown.
advertise it, with proper documentation - see what market will bring.
i agree with mr.KELTY360.

there are some interesting things about it.
it has body colored trim to targa bar, looks white or have trims been removed?
could be an owner mod (part of uncompleted wart shaving works).
or its one of those unusual very early cars where the trim on the targa bar was body colored. the black painted rims are also something that very early cars had.
the black bumpers throw that off a bit, because they ought to be white?
its a bit ambiguous as to just how original it is.

[oakdalecurtis]

do not attempt to start the car in situ.
since you are not buying it - simply informing of its existence, you will highly likely ruin the car/engine for someone who wants it. esp so if that engine is intact and original.

don't do anything to it. its worth more if you don't mess with it.

hard to know from those photos, but car looks like its fairly unmolested.

body looks like someone had a go at shaving warts and removing usual dents,
moon dent in rear boot lid, supermarket battle damage down sides.

all 914s have rust.

i think value at 2K perhaps a little unkind to the car.
its somewhere around what you suggest at 3.5 if its a sound car?
but hard to know from photos you have shown.
advertise it, with proper documentation - see what market will bring.
i agree with mr.KELTY360.

there are some interesting things about it.
it has body colored trim to targa bar, looks white or have trims been removed?
could be an owner mod (part of uncompleted wart shaving works).
or its one of those unusual very early cars where the trim on the targa bar was body colored. the black painted rims are also something that very early cars had.
the black bumpers throw that off a bit, because they ought to be white?
its a bit ambiguous as to just how original it is.

thanks wonkipop, great comments!
When I go look at it Friday, I will pay special attention to originality of the sail and targa paint. Good catch on the warts shaved off, suggests some body work has been done. The VIN suggest to me that this is only the 2,635th car off the line, so the black rims may fit in the "early cars" category. And so far, I agree with you, about $3,500 in todays market, if all checks out on the car, seems about right....