Editing AMC V-8s (section)
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==Engine design (Gen-1 AMC V-8, also called Nash V-8 and Rambler V-8)== American Motor's first '56-'67 Rambler V8 design features a tall 9.98" deck height with an obvious 'Hudson X' styled crankcase gallery. Having the main bearing webs form an 'X' around the main bearings transfers load from the the crankshaft into the block with extreme stiffness and minimized vibration for maximum durability. Only the 4bbl 327 CID versions feature 'solid mains'. All other versions feature 'windowed' main webs for weight reduction. The Rambler V8s feature shaft mounted rocker arm assemblies which are visually identical to the the former Nash inline six cylinder engines. The engine features an excellent oil system, which is perhaps the best oil system of any US V8 ever made and serves as a model of oil system design theory for all it's attributes. There were three sizes of AMC Gen-1 V-8s: *1956-'61 250 *1963-'66 287 *1957-'67 327 (the 327, named 'Vigilante V8' was used one more year in Jeep Corporation Wagoneer and Gladiator vehicles) All these feature the same 3.25" stroke forged steel crankshaft and 6.375" forged steel connecting rods and were internally balanced from the factory. The 1963-up AMC (non-Kaiser Jeep corp.) versions all came equipped with revised/improved high-flow exhaust manifolds, although AMC did not change their advertised rating of 4bbl 327 from it's former rating of 270hp. The three CID versions were made by increasing bore diameter; The 250 made with a 3.50" bore, the 287 with 3.75" bore and the 327 a 4.00" bore. All three CID variations can be confidently bored 0.125" oversize since the stock factory cylinder walls are approximately .25" thick. Rambler V8 327 engines have been successfully bored and stroked to 418, and another to 443 CID, with no known durability issues. All 250 engines were made having solid lifters and adjustable rocker arms. All 287 and most 327 versions came with self adjusting hydraulic lifters. These engines were also used by Grey Marine for boats in the late '50s through the mid '60s. All the marine engines used solid lifters regardless of size. The easily removed 'two wingnut' style valve covers imply original solid lifter design. AM's first V8 was called 'Rambler V8' in all the old automotive literature. The alpha-numeric 'Gen-1,2,3' names were never used in any American Motors publication. 'Gen-1', 'Gen-2', etc. labeling ideas were first used by Chevrolet small block V-8 enthusiasts to distinguish the differences among that group of very similar engines. This has apparently led many to believe the terms were "borrowed" from the GM engine family or that a GM enthusiast created the labels. There was a small effort to distinguish between GM and AMC labels: GM models are typically labeled with all capitals (GEN-1, GEN-2, etc., sometimes with no dash), whereas Frank used a single capital (Gen-1, and always a dash). The label was used because it is technically correct and fits. GM's labeling wasn't even considered until others pointed out the similarities, and made the assumption that the labeling was "borrowed".
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