Looking for advice. Want to build a Duster to run on a budget.

That's the whole reason I don't go to car shows. When I first got my car I had got the slant running for the first time in 40 YEARS and I took it to a car show after working on it for months getting around the shipping delays around that time.(I was 16) The only people that thought it was cool were a group of 13 year olds. All the old guys with cars restored in the 90s did whas pick it apart and say **** like "you need to paint it." "It has a lot of rust, why did you get this one". EVERY CAR SHOW. So I stopped taking it to car shows and just cruised it around town. Don't get me started on car clubs.
As highlighted, could be why some people aren't showing up here. Apply what you're saying to what some people do here.
Not complaining, just pointing out the facts. Imagine how their behavior would go over and what effect it would have on the atmosphere at a car show.