looong ago butnot so faraway-- I put together a Ford flathead - stroked to 4" bored to 3 5/16" big cam -Mallory and HC ignition headers- ported and the valve transfer areas relieved - blah blah- it ran great - 274 cubes- would easily blow off the then new Chev V8's -which was a real trick back then.
Next rod was a heavy303 cu in Olds sedan - with one simple mod:
a blower -12 lbs boost and a mag ignition no headers - no clean up - nothin--
getting max flow into the cylinders was worth far more than all the sweat on the flathead
very sobering revelation
flow is what it's all about
Next rods - Chev V8's - these could be made to really flow - my little mouse engines stomped all over bigger stuff.
Now the litle furrin stuff -- Hondas etc., have taken this even further- incredible power just from great flow .
it is fun blueprinting an engine - the real beanstho- are from new port designs which really ram the cylinders FULL .