there is some Very good advice in the previous posts.i have had a few race cars & a lot to do with several others.My observations are the many or even most people that get into drag racing do so because they go to a "street meet" & find it quite thrilling as I did.Then they spend a fortune hotting up that car,to eventually getting a purpose built car.IMO for expedience & cost I believe nothing will compare to purchasing an operation(the problem being not getting junk).The next is a roller of your chioce & go from there.You will know the car fairly well once completed.If you choose to build you will know the car intimately,but this is a slow & expensive exercise(believe me I know).We now race an altered(purchased as a roller) for the reason that you get the very best bang for the buck IE very best power to weight,lighest tow package,good storage,great car to drive & relatively inexpensive.& of course you can start Small block & end ??? AA/FA! Madness .with all that said most people race door cars but personally after I raced a chassis car that was the end of racing door cars for me.But each to their own.Good luck & I hope that you have as much fun as I have had.