> >2) All of the rubber boots protecting the ball joints have rotted away.  
> >Would it be easier to change them individually or replace the whole 
> >suspension system as a unit.  I've never worked with suspensions, but am 

WARNING, WARNING, this is a real bear, and I note, DO NOT BUY THE
BOOTS FROM VW, for my old '76 I did, boots and top and bottom clamps,
all 4 cost $90 or so, then I found out I could have got entirely rebuilt
arms for $200 with NEW ball joints, this is the way to go for sure
as I had .5mm - 1mm of play in one of the joints.  It takes a beast of a
puller to break the joints from the spindles IMHO incidently, and
pulling those arms from the axle tubes is not too bad but reinstalling is
nightmareish.  The  whole situation certainly requires immediate
attention but maybe from a pro unless you are really in the mood for
some hard work.  Of course if you do buy the boots and your joints are
OK you could put them on without pulling the arms, an easier solution,
and a good one as I think your early joints have grease fittings so you
could

1. pull spindles
2. remove remains of old boots, green big side clamp is a bitch.
3. simply pump a lot of moly EP grease through each joint.
4. install new boot remembering that green big side clamp is a bitch.
   and remember you don't have one of those cute little VW sleaves
   to protect your brand new $10 boot, so good luck.
5. reinstall spindles and you're done but still have 20+ year old
ball joints that could fail at any time.

or alternately you just might pump grease into the joints periodicly
and ignore the problem until one fails.

Some options anyway.
John Anderson
ja@coe.wvu.edu
(sorry about the language but I cannot convey the trouble I had
fully in any manner with those darn green coil clamps)