Why are 318's low HP and torque?

If you run the thin head gaskets and clean the regular 318 heads up with maybe a .025" cut, it MIGHT see 300 HP with headers and a hot distributor curve. Chances are...probably not, but it might. If you can get the 302s and get compression close to or a HAIR over 9:1, 325 or more with that Crane grind. But be careful gettin compression that high with no quench. You don't want to go much higher than that.