We all understand money, the driver car I started with ( 73 TR 6 ) was $ 3,500.00 I found two other parts cars for another $ 150.00. Car one had a bad frame I saw later so off the parts car came the frame fenders from another dash and gauges a mix of all. All drive and trans & diff parts came driver car all wheels brakes etc from a mix as to their condition ( Rust-broken - and just plane shot ) No rust to body but hood need much work as driver had been in a wreck that why frame a fenders were poor and parts cars were good. Like you I did not know this when I bought the driver.
I had a three car garage oversize with lots of room and I filled in part time in a British car shop giving me acc. to tools and help on my weak knowledge of some of the TR 6. As I now had two places to work on the TR motor trans etc. there frame body at home I did the frame up restoration in one year. I can say I did it all my self with help from a friend or two. Paint and seats and machine shop work were the only outside work. As for the money I quit adding it up at $ 10,000.00 so no idea of total cost ( I know that does not help you but it was 27 years ago )
My wife baby sat the people next to us for $ 60.00 a week she payed the cost. other money came as trade for my time at the shop. None of this may fit you or your car but it was a great experience for me and I know every nut and bolt of the TR 6.
If I had a word or two for you to think about. You have a rare car and the experience will last a life time. It need not be prefect it need not be completely true to the C but it will be yours . Madflyer