kaiser-frazer-288

[Kenn Evans II]

http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2015/02/24/a-v8-that-never-was-the-kaiser-frazer-288/      I discovered this today, I wonder if this would have kept Kaiser-USA going?

[JFerriss]

interesting blog. Thanks for sharing. I also enjoyed reading the comments after the article, several from KF long time members.

[HJ-ETEX]

I had not previously seen a picture of the lifter galley of the KF 288. I would say the lifter spacing is weird, but that is based on a life time association with SB Chevys. The small, round intake ports are like what would be found on flathead 6s & 8s, and if you ever tore down a Flathead Ford V8, you would know those weren't particularly generous either. We are judging what we see from the past on the basis of what we now know to work.
I am told the engineer came to KF with his prior development history of this V8 and left to AMC with more experience gained from the KF experimental engine. So it seems the AMC 250/287/327 wasn't just the KF design carried over. On the other hand, the short period to production shows it wasn't a blank paper design either.
This 1st AMC V8 compares reasonably with Cadillac, Buick and Olds V8s which required significant changes for 1957 and were completely replaced by new designs in the 1964-66 period.
In the way of other competition, the 1st Ford OHV V8 was a disappointment and should have been called a dud except they made so many. The Y-block Ford had shallow rectangular ports with pairs stacked on top of each other! They gave up on getting any hp out of this engine by 1957 and stubbornly kept making it through 1964 in the trucks. 

[Roadmaster49]

That was an interesting web-article.  I see even Jack Mueller provided commentary.  The 288 seemed to be a good size and with a 2 barrel it likely would have made 125 hp. But the overwhelming concept turns on image and not actual performance.

In those days, a new car in the neighborhood would bring a certain status and all the men and boys would come over to check out the new car and the hood would get raised.

Just having a V8 meant everything. The cars were still too heavy with overall poor handling.  And the 288 probably had enough meat in the block to be taken to 325 ish cid, and with a tuned four barrel would have gotten KF into the 200hp range.

That would have meant 1955 to 1957 levels of cid and performance.  Yes it would have made a difference. KF would have cannibalized sales from Hudson and Nash, and probably Mercury and Oldsmobile.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The actual theoretical maximum displacement would have been 327 cubic inches.  In terms of size and displacement, this motor was designed to be almost a carbon copy of the AMC "Typhoon" 290 which evolved to the 327 size.  The lead engineers on the 288 project at Willow Run were the same men who developed the engine at Nash/AMC.  After getting to Nash Motors (taking their work with them) they found the actual workings of the motor would not be reliable and they started over with things but kept the general size/displacement concepts.

K-F cars were never laid out in the engine compartment for this motor so the AMC engine may not fit.

[boatingbill]

A 60 degree V8 instead of the more common 90 would have a narrow profile and would probably fit nicely.

[r1lark]

The actual theoretical maximum displacement would have been 327 cubic inches.  In terms of size and displacement, this motor was designed to be almost a carbon copy of the AMC "Typhoon" 290 which evolved to the 327 size.  The lead engineers on the 288 project at Willow Run were the same men who developed the engine at Nash/AMC.  After getting to Nash Motors (taking their work with them) they found the actual workings of the motor would not be reliable and they started over with things but kept the general size/displacement concepts.

K-F cars were never laid out in the engine compartment for this motor so the AMC engine may not fit.

Wasn't the first gen AMC V8 made in displacements of 250 cu in, 287 cu in, and 327 cu in? Seems like 290 Typhoon was the smallest of the 2nd gen AMC V8s introduced in the mid-60s.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

You are correct; I had the sequencing mixed up.  250 cubic inches was the first working AMC V-8 according to the 1956 information in the AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES article. 

[DTort96646]

AMC's first Corporate V8 was 250 cubic inches and had solid lifters. It debut in the Rambler Rebel in 1957. The same series engine was enlarged to 327 cubic inches and was available in the Ambassador 1958. That same engine was used in Jeep before 1967. That same series engine was later used as 287 cubic inches in AMC vehicles until 1965. In 1966 a new design came out as 290 cubic inch V8 in the Rambler American aka Rogue. The new series engine was also released in 1967 as a 343 cubic inch V8. The first large displacement V8 was 1969 and that engine was in the AMX as a 390 cubic inch version of the 290/343. In 1970, because of emissions, that second series of engines [290/343/390] all had the block deck heights raised and strokes were increased to become 304, 360, and 390 cubic inch V8s. In 1971 the 390 was increased to 401 cubic inches. These engines were also used in Jeep vehicles. I know this because I lived it. We took on Nash in 1955 when Kaiser stopped US production and cancelled all our 1955 orders. We had sold vehicles at the rail yard in Watertown, MA, and had to return customer deposits because Kaiser refused to release the vehicles. I also have  a 1971 Jeep 304 cubic inch version of this engine in my Kaiser Darrin. All of AMC's V8s were 90 degree engines. Prior to 1957 all V8s used by AMC were Packard V8s. Just for information Ladies and Gentlemen.