Question about the price of 340s

An older coworker brought a 70-1/2 brand new Z28 over the summer of 1970 and yes it was very fast. I didn't even own my first car at the time but it was fun going out for lunch in the Z or the bosses son's 69 427 vette. One day on the lunch run with the Z we were stopped at a light and an orange cuda pulled up next to us .It had a wierd strobe stripe that I had no idea what it was at the time . That race was on and the Z could not stay with that cuda which we both figured had a big block . Much to both of our surprise we found out later it was a small block car . So don't think a 340 couldn't run with a LT1 . 68 -4-speed cars would put a hurt on them too.