Best Years for the 318 LA?

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I mean this as no disrespect to 318’s or the people who fly using them. I also understand the attraction of doing things differently. I will ask the question. You don’t have a 318, so you are looking to determine the best one to buy, that you have to do the least to and still reach your goals. Sound right? Are you sentimentally tied to the 318? Budget tied? Are small blocks in your long term future? Do you foresee your performance goals shifting higher? If you are attached to 318’s for whatever reason, ok. There are very smart people on here in regards to 318’s. If open to ideas and your performance goals could shift. I recommend a 360. Cost might be a hair higher initially, but I believe you have a foundation with more room to build from. I could be wrong, but a 400-450 hp 318 (stroked to whatever) and a 400-450 360 (stroked to whatever) In the end the 360 would be cheaper to do. A real 450 hp SB in an A body on the street is……entertaining to say the least.
 
Drmanic said:
Yah see. That's cool. I was wanting to use some Keith black pistons to bump up compression. And hotter cam. Intake and carb. Not much else. Besides the "normal items like timing chain. Bearings etc" just a solid reliable engine that isn't gonna be track used. Just used.
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Sounds like he just want's a nice running small block.


furrystump said:
I mean this as no disrespect to 318’s or the people who fly using them. I also understand the attraction of doing things differently. I will ask the question. You don’t have a 318, so you are looking to determine the best one to buy, that you have to do the least to and still reach your goals. Sound right? Are you sentimentally tied to the 318? Budget tied? Are small blocks in your long term future? Do you foresee your performance goals shifting higher? If you are attached to 318’s for whatever reason, ok. There are very smart people on here in regards to 318’s. If open to ideas and your performance goals could shift. I recommend a 360. Cost might be a hair higher initially, but I believe you have a foundation with more room to build from. I could be wrong, but a 400-450 hp 318 (stroked to whatever) and a 400-450 360 (stroked to whatever) In the end the 360 would be cheaper to do. A real 450 hp SB in an A body on the street is……entertaining to say the least.
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It also is worth mentioning that there are several 318 blocks that you’re not limited to 318 in. I would like to take this industrial 318 engine I have, bore it out to a 340 bore size, set it at even higher than stock positive deck, and mildly work the 974 heads I have for 2.02/1.60 11/32 stem valves. Add in a hairy Oregon custom hydraulic roller cam grind, and we can make things go in a hurry.
 
furrystump said:
I mean this as no disrespect to 318’s or the people who fly using them. I also understand the attraction of doing things differently. I will ask the question. You don’t have a 318, so you are looking to determine the best one to buy, that you have to do the least to and still reach your goals. Sound right? Are you sentimentally tied to the 318? Budget tied? Are small blocks in your long term future? Do you foresee your performance goals shifting higher? If you are attached to 318’s for whatever reason, ok. There are very smart people on here in regards to 318’s. If open to ideas and your performance goals could shift. I recommend a 360. Cost might be a hair higher initially, but I believe you have a foundation with more room to build from. I could be wrong, but a 400-450 hp 318 (stroked to whatever) and a 400-450 360 (stroked to whatever) In the end the 360 would be cheaper to do. A real 450 hp SB in an A body on the street is……entertaining to say the least.
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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.
 
That has the feel of 318. Solid flat tappet. Maintenance is wildly overstated and no hydr lifter concerns. Plus you might be able to engage her in the hobby by running the valves once a year with her.
 
furrystump said:
That has the feel of 318. Solid flat tappet. Maintenance is wildly overstated and no hydr lifter concerns. Plus you might be able to engage her in the hobby by running the valves once a year with her.
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She has been around my work since a baby. I do paint and body for a living. Paint. And custom paint and airbrush art. Good news is she digs the car. Not easy getting her to like many cars. Lol.
 
In Australia all of our late 318 in our Valiants 1977 - 78 79 80 81 were made in Brazil. They have made in brazil cast into the side of them. My machinist has sonic checked one of them and found they are a lot thicker in the bore. Maybe my mate Bewdy can shed some more light on these blocks. I have a 1979 CM Chrysler Regal with the Brazil block with edelbrock alloy heads weihand manifold and 650 AVS 2 with headers on it and as it has a 2.92 diff and very tight converter it is slow down low but when it gets up in the rev band it hauls arse for a large car.
 
FYI
For what its worth I weighed a
74 up against a 1985 and 85 was 10 pounds less amazing that much weight can be removed from a somewhat condensed package.
 
318willrun said:
Yes. In fact, you can take any 318 head from '67 to '91 and add larger valves, and good port work and really increase flow. If you have to pay for it all, it's $$$ though. Especially today.
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My head guy is reasonably priced and does good work...

"He gives good head".... :D

I had him do many sets for me ten years ago... I still have about a dozen sets of 340/360 heads on my shelf done and ready to go...
 
oldkimmer said:
All years are the best. Kim
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Well when I went back today the original owner was holding out.

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If you can get them, that's a nice score on the 974 heads, a little work goes a long way on those.
 
What year of 318 block you score there? If it has blind head bolt holes, it will be one of the heavier/thicker blocks.
 
Oh nice! If those are the original heads, it should be a 1974-1979 piece. That can make a really nice running small block, and then some. You can build it as mild to wild as you want for street use.
 
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Drmanic said:
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.
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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.
 
Dave_J said:
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.
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I stumbled upon a 360 complete that was already machined some time ago. It has flash rust in the cylinders. And it'll need to be gone though again. But it's all there. Along with a 727.
 
Drmanic said:
I stumbled upon a 360 complete that was already machined some time ago. It has flash rust in the cylinders. And it'll need to be gone though again. But it's all there. Along with a 727.
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A quick ball hone with some PB Buster. A bath in water with DAWN dish soap. Blow out all passages and heat the block up with a torch and let it air dry.

I'd maybe have them square deck the block true. Factory spec's were a bit lax.

Just clean the BOOGERS out of the ports of the head.
 
Dave_J said:
A quick ball hone with some PB Buster. A bath in water with DAWN dish soap. Blow out all passages and heat the block up with a torch and let it air dry.

I'd maybe have them square deck the block true. Factory spec's were a bit lax.

Just clean the BOOGERS out of the ports of the head.
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I'm grabbing all of it Saturday. And after 20 years of NOT having a project car for myself and always doing others. I'm gonna have to buy an engine stand lol. The rest I'm covered.
 
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