[COLB]

RBAT10 -- good info, and given your relation to the current owner, the provenance takes aways some of the uncertainty.

But don't underestimate what is likely required to get a sound running car. Even if the fuel issue is just a bad DME relay, and not the control unit, you are still looking at a car that requires an engine out service -- and that adds up when someone else is doing it.

While it is out, replace all the vacuum lines, oil lines, and especially the high pressure fuel hoses (use the search function to read up on this). Probably clean/rebuild the fuel injectors. Perhaps boil & clean the gas tank. All new filters. New gasket for the breather cover, oil pressure sender, CHT sensor, O2 sensors, flywheel/speed sensors. Set the valve clearance, new valve cover gaskets. Crankshaft seals. etc.

None of that stuff is major -- maybe $2k in parts if you don't have to replace any high dollar components, or rebuild the engine, with the most expensive bit being the fuel hoses. The labor, on the other hand, will be significant. And the "while you are in there" bug bites hard.

Not to belabor the rust question, but Carreras are all galvanized, and don't generally rust unless they have been exposed to a lot of salt, or have damage that has exposed bare metal to corrosion. A car with 35k miles that has been garaged in a mild climate really shouldn't have any rust to speak of. Just something to look into.

Given what you said, I think you are still looking at a $15k+ bill with a mechanic/upholstery shop to get this car to a nice level. If the seller is reasonable -- like ~$20k, you could still be in the neighborhood of "break even" when all is said and done.

As I said, it looks like a great DIY project car. But as a "checkbook" project it has the prospect of being a serious fiscal drain -- so go in with your eyes open.