[Amc-list] Alternative Engine Options

["John Elle" <johnelle@xxxxxxxxx>]

This latest series of outcries concerning the installation of an easily
located Chebby V8 complete with the really cool looking tuned port fuel
injection using basic trip over it junkyard availability plus affordable
aftermarket plug and play wiring harnesses and other electronics
components brought to mind an article I wrote awhile back while musing
about the subject over a gallon of cheap vino, entitled---------(the
drum roll fades into oblivion!)
 
A Case of Alternative Engine Applications through Demented
Rationalization or is this simply Improbable History.
 
As I see this issue, it is not so much the question of whether it is an
AMC application or not, but whether linage can be traced so that one can
feel justified in using an alternative engine other than the engines we
normally accept as all AMC
This first and most common engine that people can come up with is the
Chevrolet small block engine. 
A case can be made if one checks out the lineage of AMC vehicles for
selecting that engine as an acceptable alternative.  This lineage comes
through the Jeep end of AMC. 
At one point in time, AMC sold engines to "Jeep" to be used in their
various Wagoner and pick up lines. That would be the AMC 327 engine.
That establishes a link between Jeep and AMC that grows stronger since
AMC ultimately bought the rights to Jeep thus owning the company.
Considering that the Jeep optional engine to a 327 was a Buick 350 we
have now established an AMC/Jeep direct linkage to GM Buick division.
Since Buick replaced their 350 with the corporate Chevrolet 350 as they
no longer manufactured their own 350 and using various other grandfather
clauses, now the Chevrolet 350 becomes a direct lineage engine to be
used as an alternative to the normally accepted line of AMC derived
V-8's . This case can be made stronger through the association of Jeep
with the Buick Odd Fire V-6 in that it and entire manufacturing rights
were purchased from Buick and sold back to them after AMC bought Jeep.
In addition the use of the Chevrolet 2.8 V-6 used in various Jeep
products while owned by AMC a strong case to use and support the use of
the Buick derived 3.8 or 3800 engine that can be substituted quite
nicely in an early Rambler engine bay. Further evaluation of other
engine options available from Kenosha includes the engine commonly
referred to as the Pontiac Iron Duke engine, an engine that many claim
has a performance reputation to be reckoned with in it's own right but
also the bell housing is common to the small block Chevrolet engine
making once again, the application of this engine almost a bolt in. 
Last but not least was the use of the Audi engine, purchased outright
for infamous applications in some of the last AMC automobiles leaving
the door open to feel justified in installing the Audi Turbo-Diesel that
can be seen in prototype roadsters as raced in the Petit Lemans series
on speed vision. 
Used the twisted version of rationality one can conjure up the
justification to install some of the latest versions high tech
motorvation in an automobile that many people today own who were not
born when it was last manufactured. 
Let us see you do the same sort of analysis on 1958 Jomar!
John. 
 
 
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