Just as slow as before my mods..

I would ask what are your expectation of the 318? Are you expecting it to be a stump puller and at low RPM stomp it and have it pin you to the seat? I have built two 318s and one 360 for my cars focusing on low end torque and midrange with 2.32 and 2.91 gears and stock 1800 RPM torque converters. The 318 with the stock heads, stock 70's compression and 2.91 gears does not feel like hot rod anywhere. The 318 with Toth heads and 9.5:1 compression will keep pulling way past where the stock head one has as clear roll off in power at higher RPM again with 2.91 gears. Does it feel like a hot rod? More than the stock one at higher RPM but for low RPM not really. The 360 with Edelbrock heads (Bruce could not get his heads for a while), 9:1 compression and 3.23 gears starts to feel like a hot rod once you get it wound up some and does clearly make more power at lower RPM but nothing earth shattering. My opinion the way a 318/340/360 feels like a hotrod its you have to do things to get higher RPM power (cam and heads) and then keep the engine in that power band (gear ratio, high stall converter). They don't have +500 ft lbs of torque at 2000 RPM like a big block. There is a lot to be said about the saying "There is no replacement for displacement" if you are wanting it to spin the tires anywhere in the power band.