After going to Stagecoach and riding a friends DIY e-bike I decided that I'm fixing to build my first e-bike conversion.

Looking to build it around a beach cruiser frame with 26" wheels. I'm not a big person 5'10" 150 lbs. but I want to be able to travel somewhere from 25 - 40 miles on a charge with some torque behind it. The bike itself doesn't need to be insanely fast; tops 30mph. I've ridden motorcycles for a little over 6 years so a twist throttle(full or half) would be preferred. Pedal assist would be cool for regular commuting but isn't a necessity. This bike would be more of a leisurely toy rather than a main mode of transportation. I could care less how to display looks so long as it has a battery indicator and PAS settings(if I go with a unit that has PAS).

My budget for parts is no more than $500 excluding the bicycle. Should I source parts individually or buy a kit like a PEXMORE? Where do y'all source parts? ebay, amazon, alibaba, direct from business?

Alot of this seems like it is essentially plug and play setup: but maybe I'm in over my head. I just have no idea where to start. Any help is appreciated.