drag racing

[john hennessy]

i live within two drag strips, one south of me at Fountain and one north of me at Cottonwood both about 1/2 an hour away.
due to the lack of car shows and the like i was considering building a dragster, when i say dragster i don't mean anything with doors or indeed a body, i mead dragster!
a retro sling shot!
if i acept that the chassis is what ever i like there are things to consider, should i build a certifiable chassis?
a chassis kit certifiable to 7.50 is available in a kit with pre bent tubes for around $3000.00
rear end would be the 9" ford case with what ever i want to fill it with.
transmission would be a powerglide.
the motor is a sticking point, i have a 302 ford in the shop, but if i want to win anything i would have to spend a lot of money to make over 500hp. and that won't get the job done, i need at least 700hp. which is not reachable with a small block ford because the blocks fall in half above 500hp.
i could buy an aftermarket block but that would be at least $2000.00 plus a set of heads and a stroker kit, so as you can see the old 302 doesn't have much in the way of parts to offer.
if i wanted to go there i wouldn't start from here is what comes to mind.
i could go turbo or some other forced route or even nitros oxide.
if you have ever been stranded at the track a run out of nitros you are out, end of racing for the day.
there is no cheaper way of horse power than boost and no cheaper boost than a turbo.
then what to boost is the next question? i think LS!

thought on this please

[KB58]

Cheapest way is to buy an existing car.