How to go about making some very complex armor?

Here's what I want to create:

http://i.imgur.com/V0Vqs.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Oo5Gr.jpg

You will recognize this as Jaime Lannister's Kingsguard armor from Game of Thrones.

I'm a fairly experienced amateur craftsman with years of costume-making experience, but I've always just created things piece-meal by creatively attaching things together and artfully composing things (delicately) to look believable.

In the past I've made items like these...

And similar things for myself and for clients who need little pieces of this and that.

I am experienced with welding, but I don't own welding supplies myself... so that may or may not be a viable option. I can acquire pretty much anything if it costs less than 500 dollars though.

I want this armor to last for decades and be as close to the real thing as I can possibly make it.

That said... I'm fine painting filigree and distress onto the metal. I don't need to actually engrave it and specifically age every scale of the helm/greaves/chain-skirt/spaulders.

What's the best way to tackle this project? I have approximately 4 months in which to build it.

Thanks!