Cancer rears it's ugly head - on a '65 300L

[SlingLow]

I'm looking at a '65 300L convertible (1 of 440 I believe) and it checks a lot of boxes. Drop top, original 413 BB, new Legendary seat covers, top and boot, power windows, driver seat and antenna, rebuilt brakes/suspension, and, according to the seller, rust free except for 'one tiny spot on the hood that is barely noticable'. Then he sends me this pic:

As far as I can see, that metal would need to be cut out and replaced, or replaced with a different hood, then match/blend an old, low quality repaint in a non-stock color. The price on the car is almost right (under 20k, more negotiation required) and is about an hour away from me. I'd like to make a play for it, but that one spot has me on hold. Can any of you body and paint guys give me an idea what I might be looking at as far as work required to fix something like this? I'm trying to put a price on it, but finding guys to do this kind of work is extremely difficult. The last hardtop I had painted cost me $2,100 with no rust repair after I stripped the old vinyl top.

Give me hope or shut me down. Thanks for any input.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I'm speaking as a former owner of a Chrysler 300 letter car. There are just too many examples of these things with zero rust issues to consider one with an obvious problem. There are more of them on the market now than when I owned mine in the 90s, and pricing has always been soft on the 300L.

From 1960 on, they were fairly rust resistant, far more so than the B bodies. That hood is a major flag.

 

[Don Frelier]

I would suspect rust elsewhere in addition.
Rarely do you get one spot that size on an entire vehicle

 

[SlingLow]

Seller claims: Zero rust in rockers, trunk and floor pans. Could have been a ding or flaw that wasn't properly repaired when repainted. I haven't looked at the car, and probably won't unless I think I have a working plan to deal with the area shown. If I find more, it wouldn't be the first time a car was misrepresented. Caveat Emptor!

 

[Don Frelier]

That spot is pretty noticeable

 

[retractable]

That spot could be from a mouse nest inside the hood and rusting from the inside.

 

[SlingLow]

That spot could be from a mouse nest inside the hood and rusting from the inside.

I didn't think about that. The seller wondered if it could be from the battery off-gassing beneath it, but he says there is no visible damage on the inside of the hood there. That's why I was thinking exterior damage like a ding or something. Either way, what you see is not all you get.

That spot is pretty noticeable

I agree. Even after he sent the pic he's telling me it's barely noticeable. At least he zoomed in so I can see it. I may go look at it just to BS with the guy and check out his race cars and the 67 Vette he bought that precipitated the sale of his 300L. We seem to have quite a bit in common.

 

[Don Frelier]

That spot could be from a mouse nest inside the hood and rusting from the inside.

True if that's the case the rest of the car could indeed be flawless