Hi Mike. welcome to Virginia. What I would do is start easy. Find a car that really gets your blood pumping and modify or restore it. That is how I am starting and I am in love with the whole process. That way when you go for a complete build you will be surprised at how much you have learned along the way. Also you will have a good idea of how much parts cost for different applications. This is a fantastic site and you will meet alot of people here that will soon seem like family. Any idea on what kind of car that you are thinking about?