Center drag link, are they really $600? 1964 dart

Swapping a 64 dart to a 360 magnum from the slant 6. I know I need to change out to the v8 drag link but I'm not about to pay that much for one. I don't see why I can't cut and weld the part I got and and thinking about going that route. Saw one guy shimed the engine up but I don't like the idea of that.