When looking at hp graphs to make comparisons first thing I try to determine is the application. You have basically four categories with some exceptions and overlap. Race cars, Race cars that occasionally are driven on the street, street cars and street cars that are occasionally raced. knowing what the application is for the motor is important to know when making motor and motor part choices.
True, but got nothing to do with the engines potential, in the case of the 367 not like it's a race engine that operates at crazy high rpms it basically make the same power just 300 rpm higher.
Most times your street driven car guys are not will to sacrifice cruise rpm to gain performance.
Sure but has nothing to do with an engine potential, it maybe a reason why you'd pick one over another, people have tons of reasons and compromises to build or do what they want.
If they already have gears that are highway friendly they plan on keeping them.
Fair enough but still has nothing to do with potential, those are your bias's just X engine suits you better or even the average don't mean engine B hasn't the same potential.
If they don't already have some sort of over drive that would allow deeper gears and an acceptable highway rpm then that will be an added expense along with a set deeper gears. So the additional cost will have to be figured in. If it's a race car then different gears are an option as long as the customer is willing te spend the money on the gears.
Again nothing to do with potential, just personal preferences.
Sometimes you can make a pretty good guess as to if it is a race car or a street car application just from the list of parts used in the engine. Mixing Race car gears with street cars can result in an unhappy customer. There are always exceptions.
They use the same parts, the fact that one needs to run one gear ratio deeper than the other doesn't make it a race car. Sure it might be deal breaker for some but don't change the engines potential.
You realize engines with the same peak hp make the same hp through out say 150-450 hp (and every engine that makes more) 10,000 of thousands of engines of different sizes and rpms make every single hp the others do 150,151,152 etc.. to 447.448,449,450hp the only difference is at what rpms and what curve.
And that's what gearing is for is to match the power to the job and since there limitation our gearing systems some curves will work better than others but there's tons of useful gear and power curves to do the jobs, but why you would pick one over other is more to do with your personal preferences and your compromises your willing and not willing to make. Doesn't change there potential.
To assume your preferences should be universally accepted as the right way for everyone is a little much, to let people know the potential's and there pro's and con's and they can decide for themselves which makes more sense for them.