Which year or years 360 is best

By god! Mopar Action said it was true!!!!!!!!! (not picking on you, read on)

You can't rely on magazines, written info, what your daughters uncles brother second nieces nephews great aunt said was the best, what I say, Rumble said, or anyone else here. The ONLY way to find a great block, is to inspect them. I have a 78 360 here, was a backwards turning marine engine, best 360 block I have ever seen, nice thick walls, NO casting lines, it is PRIMO! I also have a 74 318 block, that was complete crap, the casting line was even visible a couple inches up into the cylinder wall. (on the inside of the cylinder bore) Looking for big casting flaws in the valley is a start, but every block should be carefully inspected. AND, this is not common knowledge like one would think. There are a few of us here that have noticed quality differences from year to year as a whole, but again, like I said, I have a 78 that would make 99.9% of the blocks cry with envy. (It also happens to have no -# after the 360, telling me it is an original on a new mold)

If, I had to give any advice, if you were sorting through blocks from the outside, look for a -# more than the year, say, a -5 normally would be a better block than a -14. (generally, but really a piss poor way to tell)

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but there is no great formula or year.