360 questions

273, you don't know how many times I tell people that a car only needs about 50 HP or so to do the Hwy. speed. They all think I'm nuts for that and daily driving my mad *** old 70's snot rod around. Sorry, I just don't think 450HP is a lot.

Small ports on a big engine should draw a torquey responsive engine.
Staying with the stock head, small cam, etc... As you said should add torque but where it does add the extra torque is more of a function of the cams duration as well as other parts used to a lesser degree.

IMO, I think your overselling/overthinking/worrying about the issue. A little bit maybe due to the short stroke engines reaction (3.31) vs the longer 360 stroke. 3.58. Also to say that the torque will show up further on the (rpm) scale is also not exactly true ether as engine size, cam timing and size also effect this out come.

Just because you increase cam size doesn't automatically mean the curve or peak of torque moves up the rpm range. Sometimes, it just gets fatter.