318 Build-up Questions

[73DartSport]

Hey Everyone,

I'm a newbie to the forum but I have some questions I'm hoping someone can help me with. Hence, me joining the forum.

I am rebuilding a 1968 318. I already have a set of freshly worked 360 heads to bolt on. I plan on doing some streetable power upgrades. I would really like to know if anyone can tell me the stock CR and Cam lift and duration for the 68 2 bbl, so I can decide myself on the pistons and cam I would like to put in it. Other plans include an Edelbrock 600cfm, edelbrock timing chain and gears, probably a .420 lift edelbrock performer plus cam and lifter kit, and edelbrock performer intake. Block is getting an .030 overbore at this time and pistons are in my thoughts at the moment. Is what I am doing enough to get me to where I want?? Can anyone tell me?? Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated. Hopefully I will have a quick Dart Sport when I am done. By the way, I plan on sticking with the 904 I have now except for a few upgrades to it as well with possibly a 2500 stall.

[deadkelly]

if you have ported 360 heads ? i would go to a edelbrock rpm or a mopar single plane manifold . 6oo carb will work fine . the thing you must under stand is when you go bigger in the heads you loose bottom end . but a 318 makes its power higher in the rpms anyway . i recommend using a bigger cam then the one you listed , because it costs the same or not much more but it will be a big difference in the end.the name of the game is matching all the parts so they all work together. if you are not using arp rod bolts plan every thing for 6000 rpms max , remember you only ever rev that hard when racing or doing burn outs and only for a couple of seconds . ok i would use a cam around 468-478'' lift & 235 - 245* duration/@ .050 ( hyd) shop around call up some engine builders tell them what you want they will help you . use a 3000 rpm stall it sounds big but it will still drive under that rpm its just using those heads cam and carb & extractors & manifold it will be the icing on the cake . you may also want to use electronic ignition & have about 9.0 to 1 compression ratio . with 3.23 - 3.5 diff gears you should run around or under 14 sec - 13.7 sec 1/4 mile & be in the ball park of 300 hp + . i was going to build a engine the same as this for my Australian 1969 dart utility , i priced it at around $4500 -$ 5000 aus ( $4200 us$ ish ) but i found a reco mild 383 b motor on ebay for $3500 au with 727 auto now thats what i have in there. still need a tail shaft i will have that in 2 weeks ok mate good luck .

[deadkelly]

i believe 68 318 2 bbl cam specs are .373 in/400 ex lift 240in/248ex duration part number 2899144 hope that's some help

[wsalguero99]

you might want tolk to GORGE at SPEED-O-MOTIVE 626-869-0270 or go to speed-o-motive.com they have all you need they even have strocker kits that for that 318 LA motor that can turn it to a 391 and I think into a 440 strocker