I'm Heartbroken. Time to face reality that my Cuda is a parts car.

Yep, that may just be your first project to get your feet wet. Concentrate on making that solid, and dont look at the rest. Fight the war one battle at a time. Once it's in primer, then head for the next battle.
That's awesome advice, right there. I don't even consider them battles anymore. Adventures. Opportunities to learn something new.