I came close to buying two complete running Cobra kit cars from other manufacturers. You know the drill. 5.0, 5 speed or auto in a fiberglass body with tubular frame a sacrifical Mustang donor car....blah, blah, blah. Some rare ones even have a top and AC and heat.
So you probably all know where this ended up.
General Motors has been manufacturing a v8 fiberglass car with a top for about 60 years. In most cases they eventually go up in value.
The current price of a full package Factory Five car less drive line and any top or AC/heat and paint is $20,000 + shipping. So lets say $22k delivered. Then lets say you drop about $5k for a nice new driveline and $2500 for a decent paint job. Assuming you do all the wrenching yourself? You're at $29,500. Don't know what the sales tax is on all this? $1900 where I live. So that's $31400 OTD.
You can send your perfect Miata to the West Coast and for $30,000 they will install a V8 in your car and ship it back to you with lots of custom thingies to make it work and go like stink.
You can buy a new 2014 Mustang GT 420HP with trackpack and fancy racing seats with warrantee for that. I drove one. I priced it. Loved it. Has a back seat. Awesome. $31,600 + tax.
OR you can sit in a 14 year old super clean renovated/maintained like I do C5 Corvette with decent mileage to prove you and your old lady can get in and out of it and fall in love with the thing for less than 1/2 that. Think about it. Fiberglass technology body, Hydroformed tube frame, bulletproof 350 all aluminum V8, transaxle for 50/50 wt distribution, 3300lb with 345hp/380torque, 13.2 sec in 1/4, 5 sec to 60 with auto, removable roof or convertible, AC/heat, stereo/CD, power seats, factory support, almost limitless aftermarket, no title issues, resale is great with curb appeal. AND if you buy it for your wife you can actually enjoy it. BTW it's completely assembled by 1035 competent UAW workers in KY jellyland who work next to a museum with a sinkhole filled with expensive cars.
Call it my DOH moment. No trailer queen here. Tonite got new tires installed and alignment.
I wouldn't mind having yet another C5 in a different color next time with a 6spd and setup solely for autocrossing? His and Hers?
Still less money than the alternatives.
The first people to buy those will be the vette-heads. Those are same guys that went from the C5 Z06, to the C6 Z06, and have gone to a ZR1 or are waiting on the next Z06. 
I don't know where you can buy that much power and handling for under 20k right now. 
And its faster in every way than a C5 Z06 I know I had one for 2 years before the C4, I know, I know selling that car is one of the biggest regrets of my life.
