Cant help it, I like PT's, 25 MPG with all power and leather, great stereo, seats all come out so I can haul whatever I want from 2x4's to beehives. I've owned 5 or 6 and never spent over $1500 for any of them.
but as its already been discussed, this is no cheap undertaking if you end up having to shop anything out.
You want my 2 cents? buy some poor orphan brand like an AMC/Edsel/Studebaker and do that. you will put yourself WAYYYYYY further ahead if you can find some 50's iron. They already have a full frame, look cool, don't rust away too easy, and have some serious personality. Or find some AMC product and connect the subframes, get a D100 straight axle and an 8 1/4, and drop a junkyard magnum in there. There is a way to do this on a budget, but it takes patience and some major fab skills.
Do what suits you, but that's my take on it. IIRC someone on here had an old Stude they were trying to ditch that would be absolutely perfect.
