A guy I used to race against had what I beleive to be the cheapest 10.00 bracket car in existance. A well used roadster drag car, and a bone stock Buick 430 with nothing more than a cam in it. All the guy had in it other than stock may have been a converter and slicks?
Had I the need, I would hunt for a used roadster, a running boneyard 400, cast iron intake, thermoquad and all. A spare 340 converter, (in the shed) stock heads with valves back cut, a mild cam, reworked carb,some cheap headers, and have a ball. A two step and line lock, and you are in business!