Whenever you're planning out things like this, it is always best to start off with a few basic questions...

What do you want out of the car?
Where will it be primarily driven(street, track, drag strip)?
What are the funds like (as you previously mentioned, it doesn't sound like too much to start off with)?

Once these questions are answered, you can then go forward and decide where to spend your money, and what to get for "bang for the buck" which will actually leave you satisfied.