[MFE III]

Compaq, you just don't get it.
1. Cars, for the most part, are a depreciating asset. I think it's very typical that a new car will lose 15% to 20% of it's value just driving it off the lot. Not sure if your Kirkham numbers are accurate, but I could easily see and understand someone paying north of $100,000 for a new Kirkham and it being worth in the $90,000 range after a year or two.
2. Whether you build a car from a kit or merely drop a powertrain into a turn key minus car, I don't think any of us are naive enough to think we can sell it for more than we paid. Anyone thinking their blood and sweat equity has a value, is foolsih.
When I started my build, I fully understood that I'd have more into it than I could have bought a finshed cobra. I didn't build my car to save money - I built it for the fun of it, for the experience and the "proud" factor.

Matt