Ed,
First and foremost, you can't do this all by yourself. You know that, and we know that. You're either going to earn your living by building cars at Classics by Elite, form a business relationship with Don Scott and sell improved Classic Roadsters (this combination could go toe-to-toe with Superformance, Factory Five, and ol' Shel, hisself), organize and promote DVSF every year. Or some combination thereof. But... you have to be able to retire on whatever combination you choose. Charity is great, but it doesn't pay the house note, or grocery bills.
Like Street Rods, and Harley Davidson, DVSF is now an annual event whenever, and wherever you choose to have it.
There are NHRA, SCCA, and SACC formats, participation, and sponsorships that are planned annually. DVSF needs to get programed into all three, or more.
Looking at my own professional field, the moneymakers for professional conferences are vendor exhibit booths, technical presentations that lead conference participants to visit exhibit booths, and result in SALES.
The participating Hotels should have had the exhibit booth areas overflowing with every vendor imaginable with the latest, and greatest. Tech sessions covering every "How to" in building Cobras from basic to advanced should be well attended. DVSF does not have any of this, yet this is where the $$$ for the event are generated.
Conferences I attend professionally are
oil spill conferences, hazardous chemical spill and hazardous waste dumpsite conferences where vendors present (during their tech sessions), and exhibit at their exhibit booths, their latest and greatest. These "Booths" cost a pretty penny, but are justified by the revenue they generate. DVSF should have these tech sessions by vendors, and exhibit booths at the main Hotel as revenue generators.
Anyway, elicit Cobra Clubs to assist with this, and consider moving DVSF from East to West so everyone can participate.