Good for you, Matt!! I didn't know your father - and I am very sorry to hear of his passing - but obviously by all accounts he was a terrific man and will be greatly missed.
My father's passing played a roll in my acquiring a car too: I had wanted one of these cars for years, and when my father passed away totally unexpectedly (he was not ill or infirm, but died instantly of an aneurism), I decided then and there that life was too short and unpredictable for "coulda, woulda, shoulda's", and immediately placed my order to begin my build.
Hope that you and your family get many years of enjoyment out of your dad's car. Keep us up to date on your progress, and post lots of pics!!!