318 driver - cam change or not?

Not if it's a stock smog era engine with crappy ignition and camshaft timing. If someone was just dead set against a cam change, but would yank the front cover, between advancing the cam and a hot ignition curve, I wouldn't be surprised at a 35HP change. That's power you can feel.

True, but I think that should be the 1st step it to tune to get the best out of your combo, a good tune can be worth a bunch of hp.

But other than that it’s hard to build 30-50 plus hp over stock under 3000 rpm NA.

CR is another way but you can’t go to high before detention.