My First 318 Rebuild

"Hotrod" and "Budget" don't go together.
They can if you can do most of the work yourself and shop around, and also if you don't have to have all the big name parts. You can have a fun car without breaking your bank account. Research on what's needed to help you achieve your goal. Not everyone needs 10.5:1, and a 850 Holley and fully ported aftermarket heads.