232 low revs

So, I've had my '66 Marlin for a couple of years.  Runs great.  Love it.  I just accepted it was a low-revver.  I'm not a hot-rodder (anymore), so I haven't really cared.  It's the 232 with 2 barrel carter.  When I do push it, however, I've noted it pretty much hits the wall at around 3300 rpms.  Way low.  But really great torque down low.  Well, out of curiosity, I looked up the torque/horsepower curves.  It's supposed to develop 155 ponies at around 4400 rpm.  Mine won't rev anywhere near that high.  Timing is set right .. carb seems to open completely.

Thanks, Frank.  Part of my confusion is it would seem as you start to load the engine down .. restrict air and exhaust flow, start driving pumps, etc, the horsepower would come down, but I wouldn't think the curve would change so much.  Meaning, in first gear, the motor won't even hit 4400 rpm.  It clearly peaks around 3300 and then just flattens out.  I can then shift, and it'll, of course drop the revs, and pull just fine again.  Whether I get the full 155 hp or not is not so much the issue, but it seems my curve characteristics are much different than the published spec.

The power the engine makes installed in the car is different from what it made on a dyno to create the original advertised horsepower.

Both 232's that I've owned were stock. One was a 1969 with a two barrel carburetor and the other was a 1977 with a one barrel carburetor. Both pulled strong to 4000-4500. They'd rev higher, but there wasn't much point because it's not where the power was. Peak power was around 3600 but 4000 was still strong.

They actually have a pretty good top end. They feel almost like a V8 in how they drive, just a small one.

Your distributor mechanical advance may not be working right.

Yeah ... I guess it could be floating valves ... such low revs for that, but symptoms fit.