Here are the two points to remember with each engine. You can just kinda "throw" a 318 together and have a very respectable power plant. Great little motors. I am getting ready to build one myself.
The thing about slants and getting power from them is they have a steeper learning curve. ....and that is the same whether you're going naturally aspirated, nitrous, or some form of forced induction. Slants are very sensitive to camshaft changes. You can over cam one very easily. If you are generally unfamiliar with slants (as I was when I began my project) make friends with those who are running them.Find out what they are doing, but more importantly, do what YOU want to do, or you'll never be happy.
Can you have a respectable naturally aspirated slant 6? Damn right. It is a more difficult path, but one with big rewards. That's why slany guys are so die hard. THey have to work harder to get the same results because they are starting with a smaller engine. But the reward is in being successful. Not everybody can make a slant 6 run fast, especially naturally aspirated.
The bottom line is, there is plenty of information here for you to make your own mind up without being persuaded into doing something you may not want to do. Just make your own mind up. It will be cool either way so you really cannot lose.
