Edelbrok vs Wiend manifolds and 318 power

I've got a 72 318 with a Wiend manifold on it (don't know which one) and I've got another 318 with an Edelbrock RPM manifold on it. The car's got a 600 cfm 4bl Holley on it. I'm wondering if I'd make more low end torque and power with the Edelbrock RPM vs. the Wiend or better power in general?
My other question is about upping the power on the 318 that's currently in the car. I've read the budget build on the 318 and other posts but I'm still confused on exactly what I can do with very low cost. The 318 that's not in the car I believe has a hotter cam along with some other stuff, is there a way for me to take the cam out and take the heads off the engine and be able to tell if their stock or not and if not how easy would it be to transplant those parts into the 318 in my dart?  

The difference between the 2 intake really depends on what type of intake the Wieand intake is, if it's a single plane, it will be better for top end upper RPM ranges, if it's a dual plane, it will be very close to the Edelbrock in HP/TQ capabilities, the Edelbrock Performer RPM is a good "current technology", all around dual plane performance manifold, for a cooler denser fuel charge... I would "highly suggest" you buy a couple of books on building/tuning Holley carburetors, Small Block Mopar 273ci-318ci-340ci-360ci LA style performance engines, also a "Factory Service Manual" for your specific year make & model of car, knowledge is the key... Quality parts such as, Headers, free flowing larger tube exhaust, K&N air filter, hotter electronic ignition & coil, low OHM resistance plug wires, quality cap & rotor, aluminum intake & Holley carburetor are all a good start on the cheap... Performance Camshaft & rockers, lighter more durable better flowing valves & valve train parts, head porting & higher compression ratios would be the next step, but at higher costs... remember the performance of the car is the whole package, not just the motor, a higher torque converter stall speed/or better clutch, lower gear ratios, lighter rotating mass & better suspension, light weight wheels & performance tires, are very important also... Good luck  
"Fill Your Library Before You Fill Your Garage" Good Luck  "Budnicks"

It's a single plane so then the Edelbrock will be better for a street application.
I've got headers on the car with a free-er flowing exhaust on it.
I google'd books for tuning small bock mopar engines and I ended up reading up on an article about late model magnum motors being pretty good on the performance.
I've got a bunch of salvage yards in my area, would finding a late model 360 magnum motor in a dodge car or truck and pulling it out and swapping it into my Dart be cheaper than going to all the trouble of trying to boost performance on a 318. How easy would it be to find a decent engine to out of a junk yard?  

The Edelbrock Perf. RPM is a good all around street performance choice, if you have the room under the hood... No the Magnum "truck" {not available in cars} engine swap, "isn't really any cheaper", but yes it can be done easily & affordable... There are some big differences in the engines, many parts will interchange, if you do the correct things, there are some parts that wont interchange also, some of the interchangable parts & differences are, 518 OD trans. behind the small block 5.2ltr/318ci & the 360ci/5.9ltr Magnum transmissions behind will bolt up to 273ci-360ci LA versions but you will need to use the appropriate weighted converter, flywheel, starter,kick down linkages & electronics for proper opperation, the exhaust manifolds will bolt on & work well {but have rear exits} the top end oiling system {oils thru the push rods, instead of the rocker shafts, like a LA versions}, the Magnum heads will also bolt on & do flow very well, but they need Magnum components & the proper style of oil thru hollow push rods, individual pedestal/bolt type rockers & stock intake manifolds are all EFI type {you can get aftermarket 4bbl carburetor manifolds}also the intake manifold has vertical bolts for attachment {the way they attach is not the same as the LA versions}, there's no provision for a mechanical fuel pump on a Magnum engine front covers {you must use a electric pump} & the individual pedestal rockers oil thru the hollow push rods on Magnums {instead of the shaft type on the LA versions} among a few other things... There are parts available to do the swap &/or interchange parts though... Mopar Performance books- Mopar Engines 9th edition #p5249704 , MP books- Small Block A Engines #p4876826 ,{if you want to learn about Magnum engines look at MP books-} Magnum Engines 2nd edition #p5007610 , for automatic transmissions- Torqueflite A-727 Transmission Handbook HPBooks-1399 , SA Design books- Small Block Mopar Performance , for chasis & outlines- MP books- Chassis 9th edition #p5007160 , a current Mopar Performance Parts catalog , a "Factory Service Manual" for your specific year, make & model , all are great books to have & very informative...  
"Fill Your Library Before You Fill Your Garage" Good Luck  "Budnicks"

Transmission wise, if I got what your saying corrent the 904 that's behind my 72 318 LA engine will bolt right up to like a 90's Magnum 360 engine, though like what you said I will need a different torque converter, fly wheel and stuff.
Just got done googleing magnum 360 engine swap and it looks like allot of people have actually gone this route and done this, also found out that I can a perfectly good engine from swengines.com for 1,245, with free shipping and a 3 year warranty, probably more expensive than what I could find at a junkyard but at the same time it comes fully tested and garuteed to run and work with a warranty so it's worth the price. Also the magnum blocks have the old style engine mounts on them too which makes things easier.
Would it be easier to convert the engine to a carb setup or to keep the EFI system and wire that into teh car, which I would like to do as I would get decent fuel economy then. I read that painless was making a kit for this but that was back in 06 and I can't find it on their website, going to email them though. Any one got any ideas on the wiring?  

Yes the converter {& flywheel/flex plate possibly for the proper TQ/converter bolt pattern spacing} would need to be for a "externally balanced" matched to the 360ci/5.9ltr. Magnum engine & fit the 904TF trans., it would be very easy to add a electric fuel pump, regulator & a M1 Magnum 4bbl intake to the Magnum engine & you can get a stand alone computer system for the EFI if you choose to go that route maybe try, www.fbthrottlebodies.com {F&B Throttle bodies, for the EFI &/or Throttle body specialists} or maybe Accell or even Mancini Racing, I think sells something like that also, either way you will need either a high capacity 30+psi-60psi electric fuel pump for the EFI,a bypass style regulator & return line back to the fuel tank or a electric 5-12psi fuel pump & a dead head style regulator for the carburetor set up...  Good luck...  
"Fill Your Library Before You Fill Your Garage" Good Luck  "Budnicks"

yes the 904 will bolt up to a 92+ 360 magnum, but since they only came in trucks I do not think they came with a 904/a500 trans,maybe only 727/a518 so finding a converter could be a problem. moparperformance/direct connection makes a weight kit that can be welded to the converter u have for a magnum 360 engine, see P5249843. also I do not think the production line magnum engines have the old style ear engine mounts, it is the moparperformance/direct connection magnum engines that have both style mounts. if you go with a carb and an electric carter pump of 5 psi no regulator needed.  

So it sounds pretty do-able then. I'm pretty sure all the magnum 360 engines had both mounts as I've seen pictures of both engines and they both of have the old style mounts but who knows till I can actually see one or something. I'll check out the torque converter stuff and efi stuff and see what I can find  

After some researching it looks like you can get a stand alone ECU system from Accel, the Accel/DFI system, here's a link to what I'm talking about
http://store.prestoliteperformance.com/thruster-std-02-gm-chrys-v8.html
This takes the place of the factory ECU but since it's a engine swap I'm not needing to worry about engine lights and stuff. Is this all I would need for the electrical system to run the engine in terms of EFI control or stuff or would I need more?