Rick,
As much as I would hope you could build a cammer or a wedge for a comparable price, it ain't gonna happen.
There are just too many extra parts and machining steps required to build a cammer.
For example:
There are left and right heads, meaning two different casting patterns and machine set ups.
Not only do the heads need to be machined for valve guides and seats, the need to have cam and rocker towers and be machined for cam bearings.
The individual parts list, compared to a wedge, is staggering.
Here is a list of all the parts I can think of, off the top of my head:
L and R cylinder heads with cam and rocker towers.
2 valve covers
8 spark plug sealing tubes and O-rings
L and R camshafts
2 sets cylinder head cam bearings
1 set block cam bearings (different than wedge)
8 exhaust rocker/followers
8 intake rocker/followers
4 rocker/follower shafts
2 cam sprockets
1 stub cam
1 crank gear
1 stub cam timing chain
1 cam drive timing chain
1 cam chain idler sprocket (LS)
1 cam tensioner and sprocket assembly (RS)
3 nylon cam chain guide assemblies
1 fuel pump eccentric
1 inner timing cover (steel)
1 outer timing cover (aluminum)
1 fuel pump (different than wedge)
1 water pump (different than wedge)
1 intake manifold
1 water neck/ thermostat housing
1 complete gasket set (only the
oil pan gsk is the same as a wedge)
1 set spark plug wires (different than wedge)
1 timing cover pointer (different than wedge)
This is just a basic list not counting all the different fasteners, head studs, cam lock plates, etc. that would be required to finish assemble the engine.
Compare this list to what parts it would take to build a wedge.
My best guess is that even if all the components to build an all aluminum cammer are produced in sufficient quantities to be marketable it would still cost $5000 more than a comparable all aluminum wedge.
And then to make it fit in pratically anything... get out the sawzall and torch...
--Mike