Well you are doing a ground up resto. Fair enough. Add a little work, and save a little money.

Present the car to them for the NCT in a rather dire state.

Poorly painted ( if painted at all ) shoddy normal escort interior ( or maybe just drivers seat and not much else, maybe some torn up bits of carpet ), wrong wheels, steel if possible. No big spoilers, normal escort bumper if you can.

Hopefully that should devalue it enough to reduce the extortion force upon you.

And things that can be rectified after registration.