Welcome to the site Adam, it looks a very good purchase
my advise would be run it as it is at the moment then if you feel the need or want to modify it then at least you will know the areas you want to improve, be it performance, handling etc
The long term answer is one you have already come to, learning to weld, I have looked at a course down here to learn as always a handy skill to have especially with mk2 ownership
well after being parked outside for some long that could be a long or could be a short list, my plan is get Paul to finish it and bang it in for an MOT and see what happens
thank god the floor still looks solid, if the floor had holes it would be back in the scrap yard by now!
*DISCLAIMER - there may well be holes i just haven't found them yet