That's not to say that you can't have a great time, playing with this motor, usingthe "standard" hop-up procedures, like a better (4-bbl) intake, high compression, a ported, big valve head, efficient headers, and a long-duration, high-lift cam... Moparkid305 has a '68 Dart hardtop that hasn't been extensively lightened and it runs very low 14's on the street (ahead of a stock 340) and Guzzi Mark's little Valiant is a record holder in multiple classes, running low 11's, normally-aspirated. It CAN be done....
But, it's not easy, nor particularly cheap.