So you have built this 400HP 318 for $3000? What did it run, 1/8 or 1/4?
My 340 was .030" over, ported Edelbrocks, 11.4-1, Weiand X-Cellerator intake, Hughes 236/242 @.050", .580"ish lift IIRC hydraulic cam , 750 Quick Fuel, 727 with a 9 1/2" converter that flashed 5400, 4.30 gears. On a 275 radial it ran a bunch of 7.24 @ 94 in the 1/8 and 11.60 @ 116 in the 1/4 @ 3240#. These are real world numbers, not it should make ***, my buddy knows a guy who....... or inflated magazine builds.
I'm not saying a 318 or 5.2 can't make 400 hp or run 11's because they can, but it's not as easy as bolting on headers, intake and changing the cam. If that were the case you'd see tons of them at the drag strip on Saturday nights. Don't even mention stockers or super stockers because they are a breed all their own and you will not see guys who have $3000 budget running one any where near being competitive.