Yep, you are right Ryan. I have more than that in W/S rubber in my pig.
$12k-$14k for buying and "building" a rig will not get you very far. But you do end up with exactly what you want.
First, you need to track down a rig. This will be a pretty penny if the interior is complete and in excellent condition.
Then you have drivetrain swap. I spent over $2k in labor to have my swap done... this is no parts JUST labor. That did not include any wiring either.
Then if you don't have a good interior/doors, you can spend about $2k in just rubber parts. Upholstery isn't going to be cheap either.
Then if the paint isn't good, you are looking at $1k+. ($1k gets you a cheap Maaco overspray bomb)
Tires and rims can add up in a hurry(I think I spent close to $2k for each of the sets of tires/rims I dropped on my FJ55)
Don't think I'm completely dumping on your idea... but if you have an idea on what it is going to cost, you might think better of it.
And keep in mind, if you get burned out, you will not recoup anything from what you put into it.
Yep, that's exactly the situation I am in. I spent WAY more than I will ever get back on my pig. anmpharm, do look at what things matter to you most and how you can get your best bang for your buck.