LA 360 budget build ideas

My budget build from the '90s, was a 360 bored .030" with KB167s (SpeedPro H116CP will also work) and 2.02" J-heads (double springs). I found a 284*/.528"/112LSA NOS Direct Connection Purple Shaft cam and lifter kit at a swap meet for $100 so I went with that and 273 rockers and Crane cup/ball pushrods. Made my own baffling for the stock oil pan and ran a M72HV pump, and a factory windage tray. I took 2 sets of stock .010" main bearings and made full groove bearings by relocating the notch in the cap per the MP manual. Got the crank turned on the loose side and ended up with .002" on the rods and almost .003" on the mains. Did not block off or restrict the oil to the lifters in any way, as I was street driving and idling a lot. Put the cheapest Hedman Hedders and H-pipe 2.5" exhaust with FlowTech Afterburner mufflers (this was before the cheap straight thru Jones, Salute, etc.) and a Torker II 360 intake (swap meet $100 item) with a 750 Edelbrock (later a 750AED DP Holley $$). This was a cheap, dynamite running combo for the street. Pulled 15" vacuum, gave no issues with pump premium (91+octane), and ran high 12 second 1/4s at 109mph in my '71 Demon (3.91 gears, 904 3000stall). Later I reconfigured this motor for a '68 Dart with a 727 and 4.30 gears, and I used a bigger REED solid cam and lifters (252/260*@.050", .540/.557" lift, 107LSA), 1.6 Crane roller rockers and some Hooker 1 3/4" headers and 3" exhaust with Aero Chamber Hooker mufflers. Now it runs high 11s @113mph with literally the same long block assembly. The 360 is definitely the budget choice and only performs better with more money/goodies applied!!