headers vs manifolds on a 318 2bbl difference ????

Nice job.
I know this goes against many of the talking heads advice on the interwebs but it has been my experience as well, Even the much maligned shorty headers have been an improvement.
I absolutely agree! ......and you cannot pound that into some people's heads. Any time you change to exhaust that's one separate tube per port, and pulling the collector farther away from the ports than manifolds, you're gonna see an improvement.