AMC V8 Engine - GEN-1 Nash/Hudson/Rambler V8s (1956-1966)

GEN-1 Nash/Hudson/Rambler V8s (1956-1966)

This engine family is now referred to as the "GEN-1" AMC V8, but in its time it was known as the Rambler V8. As part of a larger plan of merging Packard, Nash, Hudson, and Studebaker, AMC President George W. Mason had a verbal agreement with Packard that the two companies would supply parts for each other when practical. AMC started buying Packard V8s in 1954 for the 1955 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet. These were supplied with Packard "Ultramatic" automatic transmissions - exclusively. Packard sent AMC some parts bids, but were rejected as too expensive. George W. Romney, AMC's new head decided against further relationships with Packard.

Romney ordered his engineering department to develop an in-house V8 as soon as possible. The engineering department hired David Potter, a former Kaiser Motors engineer, to help develop the engine. Potter had previously worked on a V8 design for Kaiser, and had the experience necessary to take the engine from drawing board to production in less than 18 months, an extraordinary engineering feat at the time—slide rules were the norm because there were no computers.

All these engines share common external dimensions, weight - about 601 lb (273 kg) - forged crankshaft and rods, as well as most other parts. The stroke for all GEN-1 V8 is 3.25 inches. Engine displacement: The 250 cu in (4.1 L) has a 3.50-inch bore, 287 cu in (4.7 L) 3.75-inch, and the 327 cu in (5.4 L) a 4.0-inch bore. Bore size is cast on the top of the block near the back of the right bank cylinder head. Like most V8 engine designs of the 1950s, the block features a deep skirt where the casting extends below the crankshaft centerline, forming a very rigid crankcase gallery. The oiling scheme is similar to the Chevrolet Small-Block engine for feeding oil to the cam and crankshaft first, then to the lifter galleries.