349 CI on the cheap

Well, for some unknown reason (or at least unknown to me...) some guys just have to have that 318 cast in the side...even if it isnt one anymore...lol. Some people cant find 360 block cores locally. So, would I? No. I would use a core 318 block and build a 402. The 349s I know of used a factory crank and rods, but custom forged pistons. So there is room to save there. But unless you have the drill press and fly cutter, a crank grinder, etc you're paying for things like turning the crank further than "normal", cutting valve reliefs deeper, possibly trimming the dome surface a little, milling the intake to properly fit, shimming the rocker shafts. Not to mention paying someone to get decent flow numbers from a set of iron. BJR can do it. I dont think I could get that from say a std set of 308s or Js. And a shop that can wont do it for short money. The ultimate in cheap I think would be a .060 over 283 piston of some sort, with the 360 crank, and basic well done 308 casting heads. But that aint gonna make no 600hp. Not by a long shot. Sometimes "saving" means just keeping it simple. I also wouldnt build a 600hp small block with a factory block unless a rule book said I had to. I wont spend a dime unless I get a dimes worth from the result. Saving $100 and running a crank cut .300 undersize worries me. You can put nice radii on it, but it is getting thin even for std pass car duty to me. The ones I know of are solid 400hp street engines that dont rev past 5500. Building a true 600hp on a std car block worries me. Especially when using heavy parts, and the flexible crank. But that's why we're here. Toss out ideas..