So just how good was the A-Body back in its day?

Back when my dad was in high school or shortly there after, he had a 70 Chevrolet Malibu. He ordered special with the as gauges, bench seat, auto on the column, and the lt1 350 ;(370hp I think it was). Anyway, he loved that car and how fast it was, but his buddy had a 340 swinger that he could never keep up with! He always said, now matter how hard he tried that damn little swinger managed to run circles around him lol