Best Years for the 318 LA?

no 360 is good too. 318s are pretty plentiful here some 360s. It's just all about cost. Ease of build. Parts availability and drive ability. Gone are the days for me of huge big blocks and not very street friendly engines. Not saying they are not. But in "general" and ease of installation. Just a solid driver with some decent pep. Maybe I'll pass it down to my daughter.

I do like a 318, built a few over the years.

An easy to do drop in with a few mods is a Magnum 5.9. They start at around 280 HP dead stock, weigh about the same as a 318 +/- 20 pounds or so.