Today, dollar for dollar, is the 318 faster than the 340 ???

In 1986 I bought my 65 B Cuda for $700 and it had a shoehorned 1968 383 Mag in it. Iron everything.... It was so nose heavy. Had a Ford 9 inch with 3.50:1 lazy pozi.
I ran it at SIR in Kent Washington and on a good day it ran 15.2 @ 89 MPH. But the steering would lock up when the engine torqued up, the left side iron log manifold would rub the steering shaft.

In 1990 I bought a crashed Seattle cop Dart with a 318 Police 4bb.
I had a set of TRW stock bore 9.5 pistons and a 340 resto cam. Milled 0.030 off the deck to square it. Eldy 318 performer with a 600 Eldy, 273 iron ex manifolds.
I also pulled the Ford 9 inch and put an F body 8 1/4 with 2.91 SG.
Ran 14.8 @93 MPH most nights....

It was fun to drive. My commute was from Auburn (Seattle) over the mountain to Yakima Firing Center and I got 20 MPG.

GIVE me a 340 and a 318 and yes I will build the 340.
GIVE me a 340 and a 5.9 Roller, the 5.9 will get built and I'll sell the 340. ;)
But I am not buying a 340 core when I can get a bigger bang for my $,$$$