I don't think anyone "got away" with anything. By MY 1970, the mid-size edict of "no more than 400 c.i." was gone. Chev = 454, Pontiac/Buick/Olds = 455. Of those, clearly the Buick Stage 1 benefitted the most from its very conservative 360 hp rating (after all, it made 510 torque!), as they have been known to trounce Street Hemis...

A Corvette BIG Block came with 2.5" exhaust, run through full duals, with only a 98" wheelbase...not a lot of exhaust, there, compared to a Camaro (transverse muffler) or Malibu (112" w/b). If the Vette had side exhaust, even less loss... Also, for insurance and NHRA Class purposes, some engines were rated perhaps a tad lower than "actual output". Slap on some equal-length headers with open exhaust and watch some numbers soar!

L-88/ZL-1 power: See the Bill Porterfield sidebar, here...and remember, these are engine dyno numbers...

http://www.camaros.org/copo.shtml#engine

This particular L-88 was once owned by a friend of mine. The copy will clarify my previous post:

http://corvettes-musclecars.com/gall...P+Convertible/

Thanks for the info!