Deluxe Pallet kit is basically 24 of course by the time you add tax and shipping you have 26. Doing all the work yourself, skipping all the upgrades, junk yard shopping and rebuilding everything as much as you can yourself and a do it yourself paint job with some 'correct' wheels and tires coming under 35 I think is a real accomplishment. You would have a very nice car though!
BUT, your spend as you go plan could have promise for him. Depends on how much cash he can hide from the wife
They tend to ask a lot of questions as the UPS man keeps showing up. He is cooking dinner right now so perhaps he is 'paying it forward'
Rick