I would say $800 is high for a rust ranger such as described. Go at him like this. This is how I attack a seller when looking at an older, unrestored car. STEP ONE, determine if he needs money or just wants out of the headach. - If he needs cash, and is a good friend, wish him luck and walk away. - If he needs cash, and is only a buddy, pull out $500 in ten's and make an offer. If he bites buy it. You can always get that money back, even on a basket case. If he doesn't go for it, tell him its a standing offer and when he is done getting beat up on price by straingers and having his time and money waisted advertising and showing the car to the public, you will come get it. Make sure you are standing in front of the car while having this conversation, pick a really bad area of rust and "pick at it" with a concerned look on your face while you are talking. He WILL get discouraged, and make a counter offer. I've bought more than a few cars using this method and I've found that if I do make it out of the driveway without the car, the phone rings within a week. The last being my current 240Z, which I got for $750, and all it needed was carbs and paint, along with some TLC. STEP TWO; If he is a friend and has some love for the car, go with the $500 offer and assure him that you will do right by the car and he will be able to watch the progress as it is brought back from the brink. When he tries to get the price up, stand firm (picking at the rust) and remind him that you are going to be spending your daughters "beauty school" tuition to undo the years of neglect the car suffered in his hands, and leave him with the standing offer. Either way you win. You buy the car right, or you avoid the money pit.