Rapid, can we assume perhaps, you're trying to find the best bang for your money?
If you are quite happy with a somewhat less popular body, like a late Valiant/Dart/Scamp etc you'll be money ahead. Some folks just have to have a Demon or 2nd gen Barracuda, and they tend to be a bit more pricey. I have $4700 in my Volare wagon, including the cost of the car. I've raced it ten years and the 360 smogger I built for it still has good compression and oil pressure.