right?
let's say a 5.9 drops in your lap?
so, you've got a cam re-grind at what? $250, gaskets & seals let's call that $150, intake? let's stay cheap with an offshore unit at like $175 and choose your own adventure with a carb, and since we're cheap, why not a swapmeet special eddy/carter 625 for a princely $100
all off that you need. there's $675.
oh, and throw another $150 for the flexplate, how about a car oil pan? let's do that kit from mancini that you get a pick up and dipstick with, there's $130. oh, and a magnum doesn't have a fuel pump provision. so reuse your old cover with the hughes adapter for $30 or cough up for a pump. duh, we need an oil pump and timing chain, there's another $200 out the door.
okay, i think we've got most of the parts and we're at 1185, that we can call 1200 all day. so let's add $200 in budget overrun for whatzits, thingamajigs and doohickeys. and tack on another, $200 for tax, shipping, and general skull duggery.
$1600
this surmises everything in the motor is useable. and you can reuse major components from your existing small block- distributor, motor mounts (maybe), exhaust, accessories.
how far does $1600 go on a 318 that you have, is known to be in good working order and is reasonably outfitted?