Good, very good. No worries about low vacuum for P/B.
Your kind of split on the gear ratios for the goal. The 3.91 will do for sure. Those 4.88’s will be handy for the track.
Don’t polish the runners.
Polish the chambers
9.0 - 9.5 - 1 will be good. That’s about what the combo hands out.
Excellent
Yes and no. The saying goes, “The juice is t worth the squeeze.”
In other words, the amount of work you do in the cylinders will be a positive move not worth the effort to barely make again worth the effort. If at all. This type of work should be reserved for an all out effort. Not a mild street car. It can also produce negative effects with the piston rings and longevity depending on what is done and how far you go.
A minimum for a solid camshaft I’d consider would be 234@050 on a 110 LSA (perfect for a 2.02 headed 318) with as much lift as I can reasonably get or as much as the head flows well in.
If the flow slows down after .500, let’s say by a few cfm, then a slightly over a .500 lift cam is what I’d look for. If you find a cam that works but the lift is .490, don’t worry about it.
Cam and compression work together to keep the package balanced. My recommendation above will work well.
I run a Hyd. roller @224@050 with a 11.5-1 compression on our top grade of 93 just fine.
You’ll have to shop around. Being the engine is still mild, you can use a stock size 5/16 and as thick of a wall as possible and you’ll be good. Thicker is better though.
Try Smith Brothers. But their are many places.
Personally, I think the 3.91 gear will be great for around town.
However, the 318 will need to turn some good rpm’s at the track and need at least 4.56 gears with your 28” tires to run the time.
The problem is the engine is torque challenged and can use the gears to help release the power quickly to run that time.
I suggest trying the 4.88’s even around town. If you have to go far and must use the high speed roads, these are NOT your friend. Even the 3.91’s will be a bit rough at minimum highway speeds.