1972 318 street build

Your goals of a stout driver are realistic IMHO. You can do good job close to your budget. I would:

• Keep the stock stroke and crank, and rods
• Get the compression ratio up with pistons like linked in post 17
• Get some closed chamber 360 heads like the 308's and just fix them up well (guides, a good valve job), and not buy porting work beyond what you might try yourself
• Keep the stock rockers and keep lift down to the .460-470"-ish range so the stock rockers won't be over stressed
• Get a good intake (perhaps a stock cast iron one, or sprig for a better one) and decent 600-650 cfm carb
• Headers for sure

I think you can stay close to that budget and still do things like a new oil pump, chain set, etc. It'll be a good running 318 with all of that.