i was wondering cuz all i need is the major parts. i dont need the full upper assembly.  does anyone sell the conversion with just the upper reciever and a hicap magazine

Olympic Arms made the cheapest with SARCO comming in a close second.  Both of these were GI type kits, and neither are currently produced.  You might seem them in the EE or at gunshows.

Now your only option is to get a Cienner kit and the price doesn't seem to vary much.

how much does a no frills (the mag and the reciever) cienner kit cost just out of curiosity

Bushmaster has the Ciener kits with one 10rd mag for $139.95 plus shipping.  Each additional 10rd mag is $29.95.

[url]http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/accessories/jac-008.asp[/url]  

Thanks to the BATFE, Ciener can no longer supply 30rd mags to civilians as it was ruled that they were manufacturing new hicap mags even though their inventory of unmodified 30rd mags was pre Sept. 1994.  Whatever is out there in civilian hands is legal.  The 30rd mags alone run $100-$150 each.  The original 30rd kits, when they were available, went for $199 before they stopped selling them.