Tell me why not?

All of this will not return much improvement if you have a smog motor with low compression and stock smog heads. That’s where performance starts, more compression and heads that will flow some air in and out.

it’s why a smog 318 is a pussycat and a 426 hemi or max wedge is an animal.
Not sure I agree "it's subjective" I did this not long ago. Bought a what-turned-out to be a very low miles 318 "of the 70's ran it long enough to see that it ran well, then tore it down and replaced the cam with a mild solid cam a bit smaller than a 340, installed a 4bbl intake and carb, later went TBI EFI. That little gal woke right up. Fun to drive.