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

Sounds like a good combo. Now if I remember correctly? Poly heads will bolt onto a la block and vice versa but the poly heads have to have a poly cam and la heads have to use la cam. And if memory serves correct the poly oils through the pushrods

No, I am almost 100% positive the Poly heads will work off an LA camshaft as long as the pushrods are correct. I see no reason why they wouldn't. Valve arrangement and firing order are the same.....of course with the exception the valves are splayed on the poly. Unless I'm missing something, I cannot think of any reason why the LA camshaft would not work in that situation. I think they are each block specific. I could be mistaken, but I think that's right.

@Bighead440 might know. He's pretty sharp on that stuff.