How much will it cost me to restore a California 1965 WV Bug with a good
engine, bad brakes, loose steering, okay transmission, and so so
interior/exterior aesthetic condition (needs paint)? I'll be buying
all parts online and doing most of the work myself. Please provide a
rough breakdown. Approximate, not exact, figures needed (+/- $100).

About five years ago, I looked into the cost of restoring my 1968
Volkswagen Beetle, which was in similar condition to what you
describe. At that time, my mechanic estimated that, including a new
interior, paint, and body work, the cost would have been between $1800
and $2500 (depending on how fancy a paint job I wanted). I didn't get
it done, and my Bug is still wearing its original coat of paint and
sporting its old, gnarly, cracked seatcovers.