Well, for quick and easy with respectable performance and some really nice street manners the Edelbrock Performer RPM package might be worth looking at--though I'm not sure what your definition of cheap is.... I don't know my Edelbrock numbers so well, is the 4101 intake the Performer, or the Performer RPM??? I've heard the Performer intake is little (if any) better then stock. Friend of mine put the entire Performer RPM package on a balanced, squared, and zero decked 350 with flat tops (2 valve reliefs, think they were a Mahle piston?), a bit looser converter that stalls at about 2500 RPM, and a glide. It's in a stock weight '79 Camaro--it's no rocket ship, but it certainly isn't a slouch either!!!!! He also substituted a hydraulic roller cam instead of the flat tappet cam that was in the 'package'. Trick Flow also has some moderately priced head, cam, and intake packages for small cube engines, too. I know from personal experience that their 'twisted wedge' heads on a small block Ford with a hydraulic power makes GREAT power for a 302 cu. in. engine, no reason that technology won't work well on a 327 Chevy, too!

Anyhow, welcome to CHR and when you have time put us up some pictures of your 'Bird, we love pictures!!!! Best of luck on your build!

Some of the guys (well, lots of them) are more current on SBC's then I am, hopefully they'll stop by and fill you in on another option, the Vortec heads. I've never messed with them, but I've seen some fairly strong cars running a set of them!