Was it really necessary to capitalize "ugly" twice?

I'm fine with it. It looks better than the torn MB TEX. Besides, once I sit down, I can't see it. I don't have eyes on my back or my butt.

I haven't kept complete track of expenses. It was a project to keep me sane these past 3.5 years. Expenses were relatively low. Most of the project was me welding up the car with my Harbor Freight flux core mig unit and then spraying Rustoleum at it. The interior came out of a parts car that I paid $350 for. This car itself cost $400.

I didn't buy any brand new parts until 2015, and even those were MOSTLY limited to suspension items and brake parts. The running gear is largely refreshed:
-new rear subframe mounts and trailing arm bushings
-new shocks on all 4 corners (in retrospect, probably not necessary - I'm saving the old ones for spares)
-new flex discs and center bearing/carrier
-new brakes (calipers, pads, rotors, metal lines, and rubber lines) on all four corners and new brake master cylinder
-new clutch (including master and slave)
-also replaced thermostat, hoses, belts, water pump

That's really the majority of brand new stuff I threw at the car (I think). I can probably put together a much larger list of smaller items I did.

That I do. She's been really supportive of the project. I also took a few long breaks during the course of the project. I'm putting my wrenches down now for a good long while (aside from maintenance and necessary repairs).

Like I said, the project kept me sane. I'm not going into details, but there have been some deaths in the family in the past few years and this project was largely a way of letting me feel like I was in control of something.