Yeah, they get a bad rap if you ask me. With the 2.73 gears in mine, she pulls really strong from 30-40 mph on. It is a very good top end car. Love my 403, never gives any problems, very reliable and tough engine. Not going to jump too many from a dead stop, but rolling starts, for a stock late 70's car it was surprisingly more than I was expecting. I've owned a couple of 79' W72's previously, and the 403 I have right now seems just as strong after about 30 mph. It's all about torque, and the 403 has plenty. Loved my 400's in the past, and I was a 403 basher for a while, but that was before I owned one. I was wrong for putting it down, mine is not a "boat anchor" or "turd", as I have heard some refer to the 403. If you want to give it a little more spunk, it doesn't take a lot of cash to make some nice gains to help it breath better to make a little more power that you can feel.