Bought a sad little '99 New Beetle TDI on eBay for $800... it's gotten up close and personal with a guardrail, but there's no structural damage, and the diesel runs great.
The plan is to install a MkIV VR6 engine w/6 speed tranny in it. Interior will be purely functional- Mitsu EVO IX Recaro seats, harnesses, no back seat, radio delete with a gauge panel in place, A/C delete, etc...
Hopefully finding a Beetle Cup body kit, and painting it Porsche/VW signal orange. (A 1973 colour) with black BBS 3 piece 18" alloys.
And I'll have a nice spare engine for my black NB.