Today, dollar for dollar, is the 318 faster than the 340 ???

That's what I said in my post, The average Joe will not build a 400 HP 318 for 3000.
I bet you had more in your 318 and it wasn't making 400 HP
If I had to guess.... I would say my 318 in my Duster is making close to 300 hp. I have 750 bucks from both carbs to the oil pan. Haven't ran it with the dual quads, but the car ran about 95 mph in the 1/4 with the single 4bbl, no headers, stock converter, 2.76 gears and close to 3400 lbs at the start line. Then it was a 498 dollar 318. Now 750 with dual quads. I bet the mph would be 1 or 2 better with the dual quads.