Not much cooling going on between those cylinders. Intake & exhaust on the top?

Actually thats the bottom..

Lycoming engines use updraft carbs under the engine. Those heads are designed for steady state running at altitude, so their characteristics don't include acceleration properties.

Jake,

What is there about these steel cylinders that keeps them
from having "Acceleration properties".?

What would prohibit their use in an automotive application?

Clayton

Jake was talking about the heads specifically.
Port design and valve size would likely to be tailored to provide specific advantages at a particular cruising RPM. An engine designed for specific applications would not likely do well in another specific application. Just compare 1/4 mile engines with sprint car engines with endurance car engines.

Aircraft engines run at mostly continuous rpm. On a piston engine you usually set the throttle and lock it in a position. Yes, you do vary it from time to time, but nothing like working that gas in a car. I think the volume and airspeed of air into an aircraft engine are much higher.

volume may be high, density will be low. As altitude increases, air pressure decreases.