Like others have said build the entire car 1st.

I am building tha same car and even though I have built a few Vettes and started building a '53 Pickup this build has been the most fun and sometime the most difficult. There is no such thing as a so called kit car as far as I am concerned.
Everything you need you buy as a universal fit so that means cut, grind and weld or you cant find what you want and you have to make it from scratch.
Something as simple as the hood sounds easy enough......well it took me 18 hours and a pile of scrap to get it to fit so I was happy.
The only thing I did not due befor paint was the wiring. Here is a link to most of my pics that might help...... I have plenty more to post so keep checking back or email me if I can help.
The frame is at powder coat now.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v281/i...20rod/?start=0