$20,000 '64 Barracuda

"pbiggs" states it very well....Back in 2005 when I did a semi-resto (about 75% of the car) on my '66 Barracuda Formula S I spent around 10K. I shopped around and knew people in the paint and mechanical specialties and got the best deals I could at he time.
Chrome alone was a 6K estimate from a very reputable re-chroming shop. I had to leave out certain parts and renegotiate the price and got down to the 3.5K. Chrome still looks new!
Another 3K in the motor & 3.5K in paint on a rust free car that only had a 6"x4" dent in the lower quarter. If your good with your hands and can do the work to a high level, great! If not, your only option is to "pay up" and "stimulate the economy".
The value of these cars will be slow in rising value and will not keep up with the rising "shop" costs when its time to restore one. Its like getting a 1% raise at work but the cost of living / inflation rate is 3%.