I've never been able to build them cheap.
If you are really honest with build cost and add up every cent spent, it really does cost to have a nice car. I've built both DRB & Harrison with my brother, so had to keep very detailed build costs.
Currently rebuilding a GT40 and just a freshen up is going to chew through $15-$20K very quickly.
To build what most people here would consider a reasonable Cobra, would cost around $50k these days.
To build something a little more special, a lot more than $50k.
The days of $30k car are gone for us mere mortals. We couldn't even build a bare bones street legal racer(no paint, no shiney stuff, no interior) for less than $30k.
Most of us don't have the skills/equipment/space to do a lot of specialist work required on these cars, so always have to outsource some stuff.
Biggest areas to save money are:
* Hit all swap meets. You can save a lot of money here if you know what you are looking for. But it will take a lot of time and a lot of very early morning. eg you could pick up a nice set of headlight chrome rings for DRB for a couple of dollars, they are as common as dirt. Harrison/RMC ones are a little harder.
* Check local paper and ebay for parts.
* Buy as much stuff as you can directly from the US.
* Keep an eye out for club members selling parts that are no longer required.
* Buy a wreck/front cut. You get a lot of useful stuff. But you got to get rid of the mess afterward.