Ray, I just checked my build log. My records are not real detailed but I received my engine on April 8th. At that point I had not done any work on the cowl, nor had I attached the tailcone to the main fuselage.
I had most of the avionics installed but I had not completely installed all the flight controls or the rudder/brakes assembly. I waited to install the control sticks and brake/rudder assembly as long as possible.
Except for a 10 day break in July, I worked a minimum of 30 hours a week on the plane.
When I received the engine, I bet my brother I would have the plane ready for Mel to inspect by June 1, then the date moved to July 1, then to "some time in August" - which I finally accomplished.
Just remember, it's not how fast you do it but how well you do it. When you take that first flight you won't be thinking about how long it took to build but you will be thinking about whether you did everything possible to get it right.