318 2bbl Intake Mods ?

I had a 69 D100 with the NP435 trans and 3.91 gears all stock, I added a set of headers and that was the best running 318 I have ever owned, totally stock, minus the headers, it was really strong. And I have owned alot of 318's.
The only thing I could find was different, from all the other 318's was that factory single plane cast intake.
Weren't those higher compression 318s in 69?