Hang on, aren't we here to enjoy working on our cars too? Not everyone wants to buy a car that's already done. 3/4 of the fun of the ownership of a car is making it you're own and working on it. You're all correct that the cheapest way to get a modifed car is to buy someone elses blood sweat and tears but that's not for everyone.
The kid has stated he's not super budget concious so go for it! Most gen y's (don't get me started on them) will go out and blow $25K on their first car nowadays so if Dat20 spends $18-$20K he'll have an awesome little ute that he's built from the ground up.
Good luck with it!