Paul, That is a truly sad story.
If you'd like to discuss with an expert then call Bob Turnquist @ Hibernia Auto Restorations. He's a world renowned restorer. While his expertise is Packards, with a Pebble Beach Concours win, over the years he has done many other world class restorations on very high end cars. He also lives right behind me.
Can't hurt to call. Here you go:
http://www.hiberniaautorestorers.com/
Good luck as this will likely come with a price tag that is not for the faint of heart.