These engines were used in cars and trucks by AMC, Kaiser, and International Harvester, as well as in marine and stationary applications.

An "Electrojector" version was to be the first commercial electronic fuel-injected (EFI) production engine for the 1957 model year.

American Motors' president, George W. Mason, had negotiated a verbal agreement with Packard that the two companies would supply parts for each other when practical.

With the industry-wide acceptance of V8 engine designs after World War II, AMC purchased Packard V8s in 1954 for the 1955 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet.

After Mason's sudden death in October 1954, George W. Romney, AMC's new CEO, decided against further relationships with Packard.

[6] The larger displacement engine included a pioneering electronic fuel-injected (EFI) system named "Electrojector" version in 1957.

All these engines share common external dimensions, lightweight - about 600 lb (270 kg) - forged crankshaft and rods, as well as most other parts.

A number indicating the bore size is cast on the top of the engine block's flywheel housing immediately behind the right bank cylinder head.

The block features a deep skirt where the casting extends below the crankshaft centerline, forming a very rigid crankcase gallery.

The fore and aft direction changes are designed to eliminate stale oil areas which tend to form sludge deposits.

It was a modern OHV/pushrod engine design and made its debut in the Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet "Specials" of 1956.

The Rebel's engine differs from the 327s installed in the 1957 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet models in that it uses mechanical valve lifters and a higher compression ratio.

Two-barrel carburation was standard on these Jeep models, but a four-barrel high-compression version was available in the highly optioned Super Wagoneer from 1966 until 1968.

It was the second fastest car on the beach, bested only by a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette with mechanical fuel injection, and only by a couple of tenths of a second.

[15] The EFI system in the Rebel was a far more-advanced setup than the mechanical types then appearing on the market and the engines ran fine in warm weather, but suffered hard starting in cooler temperatures.

[13] All the EFI cars were reportedly converted to four-barrel carbs before being sold; none are known to have existed outside the engineering department at AMC.

All three engines share the same basic block design and external measurements; the different displacements are achieved through various bore and stroke combinations.

[citation needed] The AMC V8 was not built by Ford or anyone else although it bears an uncanny resemblance to the later Buick V8 engines (400, 430, 455).

[citation needed] It shares the same design employing a timing gear case that mounts both the distributor and oil pump.

[18] The newly powered Rogue was available with either a three-speed automatic or a floor-mounted four-speed manual transmission and made the car "suitable for the Stoplight Grand Prix.

Output for the optional four-barrel carburetor version is 280 hp (209 kW; 284 PS) and produces 365 lb⋅ft (495 N⋅m) of torque (gross).

It received heavier main bearing support webbing than the smaller AMC V8s, as well as a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods.

Forged cranks and rods were used for their known strength—there was inadequate time for testing cast parts for durability without delaying AMC's introduction schedule.

Once forging dies were made it was not cost-effective to test cast parts due to the relatively low number of engines produced.

It is believed that AMC kept the 390 this last year due to the reputation it had garnered in the two-seater AMX, then still in production.

There was a U.S. auto industry-wide shift to lower compression ratios in mid-1971, so AMC increased combustion chamber size to 58-59 cc.

[19] The 1971 and earlier versions were rated using "gross" horsepower, which is with the engines operating with no accessories or drive belts, air filters, nor any exhaust system restrictions.

It continued to be produced after Chrysler bought American Motors in 1987 as the standard engine in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer through 1991, with the only modification being the "360" casting replaced with "5.9L" on the side of the block.

This muscle car engine was rated at 340 hp (345 PS; 254 kW) and 430 lb⋅ft (583 N⋅m; 59 kg⋅m) of torque due to a different intake.

In 1975 and 1976, emission controls, insurance rates, and high gasoline prices meant the 401 was available on the large Matador model, and then only for police department orders.