318 low-rpm performance ........... for the NEWBE
I've come to learn that also applies to 383 vs 400, 340 vs 360, and even 327 vs 350!
Despite what logic might dictate, and the "gospel except as noted" mantra about "no replacement for displacement".
The 318 takes all the parts a 340/360 basically can, on some max effort the bore is gonna limit it. But for the general hp were talking about a 318 should be able to build similar to stall to shift point hp as the others just gonna be at a higher rpm generally.
Now if we limit it like factory and want peak hp around 4000-5000 rpm then basically every step up in 20-30 cid is a step up in possible performance why the big 3 has those steps in their engines from 6 cylinder to big block. 170 198 225, 273 318 340 360, 350 361 383 400, 383 413 426 440. Of course most of us are willing to go somewhere in the 4500-6500 rpm for peak power which gives us some overlap.
Now out side of full throttle runs, you don't need much hp to do daily driving, all engines basically make the same hp at any given road speed even if the engine can make more at full throttle at those rpms, that's in reserve.
It's just how much part throttle pep and how well it transition to full throttle power and everyone gonna be different in their compromises and sounds like AJ has zero here, but don't mean others won't sacrifice some here for full throttle action. Obviously there's people running cams in smaller low cr engines without deep gears and factory stall.
Most 318 hop ups I see people want is to add a cam and 4bbl possibly exhaust on a pretty much stock car, it might not be the strongest off the line but 318willrun and others have shown they can run.
Everyone level of wants/compromises are different.
