If you plan on doing a stroker kit you are going to have to rebuild the engine anyway. May as well start out with a larger displacement. A 390 would would make awesome power too and you already have the block so I can definitely see why you would want to keep the 318.
If you are going to build it over time I would suggest trying to find a 360 and do a 408” engine. Research heads and head porters that can get you around 250-300 cfm at .500” lift .
You can get there with a multitude of options. Hughes Engines offers a Performer head with relocated pushrod locations.
Hughes has a CNC program for the Edelbrocks so even the standard 6077 with a CNC job can get you a seriously good flowing head.
The Indy Cylinder Head 360-1 and 360-2 options are great heads and you can get them in kit form so you get intake manifold, rockers, the whole top end minus cam and lifters. You should know what cam you want when ordering. I like the kit option a lot and thinking about it for my next build. A 396” 360.
There are cheaper options like Promaxx and Speedmaster that go pretty good down the track. Member “AARcuda” on here has a set of Speedmasters on his race car and it really scoots. I was inspired by that and bought a set and had them ported by the guy that put my 318 together down here in San Diego, Cogswell Machine. Cogswell had talked to AARcuda at Bakersfield, where he was racing, and was very impressed. He was happy that I brought some in and he, himself, bought a set for his personal car after porting mine. I can share prices with you from that.
One negative thing I n the Promaxx and Speedmaster heads is the rocker arm geometry. What I didn’t like is that my guy used lash caps. After I found out he had to use lash caps I looked into it more and found B3 ‘s (
@B3RE )
tech articles
Lastly, do yourself a favor and look into IMM since they are down in the Coachella Valley near you. If you don’t already know about them they are a father son deal and put together some pretty good stuff. It would be worth it for you research a little more and give them a call. You may even be able to buy your rotating assembly and heads through them. They work with Indy but I don’t know about “dealer” status or anything. It’s YOUR neighborhood Mopar machinist so look into them.