[Bluesman]

Take the vette money and purchase the "pallet kit". It has been awhile since I looked at the different levels you can purchase. If you feel confortable installing your own suspension, engine and drive train, then get the kit that has the dash plumbed and wired, all the brite work, seats, gas tank, etc. The "pallet car" gets you in with the chassis and body and many of the whistles and bells for an afordable price. Then as you save more dough, you can obtain the expensive stuff like jag rearends, F.E. engines and so on.
I don't recommend you financing your project.