Need some direction with my Mom's 64 Dart

My mom passed away a few years ago and I got her 64 Dodge Dart. She was the second owner (bought back in the early 80's) and did a restoration in the early 90's. Over time the car was driven less and less until it was parked. It sat for years and when she passed I took it.

I would love to get it back up and running, there is a lot of emotional value in the car but that doesn't always equal practical value. So I had it towed to my mechanic and he looked it over, did a compression test and found it was low, around 50-60. So he's recommending pulling the engine for a full rebuild. He's quoting 3-4K and then another 4k for labor. That doesn't touch any transmission issues that could be there, break issues, suspension, etc.

On top of that the body and interior are in pretty bad shape, 3-4/10. So I'm debating on what to do with the car. Obviously it doesn't have a great deal of value that way it sits and I would like to get it back on the road at some point. But I don't have a spare 20K to throw at it.

I guess I'm asking some advice or direction. Should I hold on to it in hopes that I can work on it a little here and there? Do I find a shade tree mechanic that could do the work cheaper? Any thoughts or advice?
Welcome to FABO. Post some pictures of the car and that would help us help you decide what's best for it. It's a hard decision to make when there's emotional value involved. The overhaul and labor seems pretty steep to me. You could pull the original engine and set it in the corner and replace it with a good running 318 for a $1000 or less. The upholstery kits for the interior cost a $1000. Ya we need some photos. May be it would be best to sell the car if you don/can't restore the car. It doesn't have to be restored to be fun. Maybe the engine just needs to be started and ran and it will run better with time. My 66 Dart was like that.