318 in my shop from central KY area

Yep! Also accepts an SRP 4 inch .090 over piston to make a 333. It may also have a steel crank in it. 1969 318 pistons had the highest compression height and highest stock compression. I personally feel the safe limit with stock caps with long term reliability at high power level to be stock crank with up to a stock 340 bore. A girdle certainly wouldn’t hurt anything. I think they’re as good as any other factory block with a set of Milodon or MP caps and lightweight rods. I’ve see the eagle I beam rods take some fantastic abuse in a stroker. If it were mine on a dream budget, fill to the bottom of the water pump holes, aluminum caps with a girdle, aluminum rods, W2,and a flying toilet.