I dont agree with this statement at all. You can run a stock bottom end big bolck with some cheap of the shelf TRW slugs (with some compression), decent cam and carb you have a receipt that puts down way more torque than most pricey small blocks. Add some spray to that and that would be tough to beat Horsepower /cubic inch / per dollar spent. Plus I look at dependability, you dont have to spin the big block no were near as hard to make that torque and horsepower which means it will live longer