The ironic thing about my project cars is that the newest one has some of the most concerning rust. It's also the one with a bunch of money invested. The 2003 VW Eurovan I bought a few years ago and has since been converted to a manual transmission after months of turmoil and expense is a fixture in the family; it's not going anywhere.
However, I bought it with a simple but significant flaw: it had been improperly jacked up at one point in the past, and it split the seam along the bottom of the body wide open. You couldn't see it from the outside, but water was getting into the sill cavity on the driver's side. This would become a big problem eventually, and because the Eurovan wasn't going anywhere, it had to be fixed. As it was, rust was blossoming right behind the mudflap, behind the front wheel.
Long story, but I finally hooked up with a two-man show bodyshop that did rust repair for a very affordable rate. If you've ever tried to get bodywork done on a rusty hobby car on a budget, you're likely still looking and/or living in 1965. It's very hard talent to find. The body guy is an incredibly hard worker and has already been sending me pictures of what he's cut out and the repairs he's made. Feast your eyes on the progress below.