Looking for opinions on low budget 360 build

In my area running take out magnums can be had between $500 and $700. I got a complete 90k mile magnum 360 with harness, ecu, intake, and air box for $700 and got to hear it run before I bought it. It had a bad balancer, and the timing cover was worn through so I had to replace both of them. If you run one carbureted you have the cost of the intake, carb, gaskets, a distributor, and a fuel pump. So it won’t be just pull it and install it. The costs add up quick. $1500 would be hard to do. But I still think a “quality” rebuild on an engine you currently own would exceed $1500. Your call. But if time is a factor swapping a magnum in can be much faster.