SBE 318 basic rebuild +CAM , INTAKE, HEADS, expectations?
It’s a 68 318. While still not ideal, it’s pre smog era
Every engine got what I call free power, basically the power the stock heads and cr is capable of supporting with basic hot rodding, cam 4bbl headers tune etc.. A stock 318 should be able to squeeze 275-300 hp without going too crazy with cam. Now above that heads and cr need to be addressed and think it's fair to say if going that far would a 360 or whatever engine be better?
Generally displacement mainly allows for less gear, less rpm, better idle etc.. which for especially the street are generally desirable traits. But power wise if that stuff don't matter to you a 318 is capable of more power then most would build it to it can basically run all the same parts and if running the same stroke displacement difference shrinks considerably is it worth doing that's up to the ones building them. To a lot of big block guys no small block is worth doing.
To me if you got a good running 318 in the car, adding basic performance parts is a no brainer, but not if your pulling the engine to build or do more than a basic hop up or whatever reason, your probably better off with at least a 360, if for no other reason but to be able to run less rear gear for similar performance.