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AMC Marine division??

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Category: American Motors Corp., its history and more.
Forum Name: The Member Companies and Products of AMC
Forum Description: What AMC produced, when, production numbers, companies owned, bought, sold.....
URL: https://theamcforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=95109
Printed Date: Mar/28/2024 at 3:28pm
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Topic: AMC Marine division??
Posted By: billd
Subject: AMC Marine division??
Date Posted: Jul/05/2018 at 10:33am
I found reference in a parts book from a supplier to AMC and it made me think a bit.....
We know AMC sold engines for MARINE use, but I didn't know much beyond that other than the 327 was at least one of those sold for marine use.......
but I found this reference - anyone know anything about this?

American Motors (MARITECH) Marine

Then it goes on to list Prestolite distributors and ignition parts used by the company - and the page is dated 1979 so it's late in AMC history in the grand scheme of things.




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Replies:
Posted By: Jmerican
Date Posted: Jul/05/2018 at 5:17pm
Gray Marine used the Gen 1 V8. I have heard of small Jet drive speed boats using the 360 as a production engine.


Posted By: billd
Date Posted: Jul/05/2018 at 5:46pm
True - but did AMC sell these through a division such as "Maritech" because that looks to be who Prestolite sold ignition systems to AMC - through Meritech.
And it's listed as if Maritech WAS American Motors.

I know some wood boats used the early Gen I engines. I was asked to do some work for one.

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Posted By: amxess
Date Posted: Jul/29/2018 at 1:59pm
The 327 was somewhat popular for boats in the 60's. You'd think AMC had to help develop or sell exhaust manifolds, etc. for marine use.


Posted By: amcenthusiast
Date Posted: Sep/04/2018 at 9:12am
Oh Hey thanks for the lead Build; never heard of that.

This topic finds parallels to GM's business with Mercury? Ford's business with Yamaha? and Chrysler's business with Evinrude/Johnson?

I think GM had Mercury building the engines for the Chevrolet Syclone pickup trucks? ...but no; Corvette ZR1?

The automotive to marine industry linkages apparently began with big money on boat racing? IE 'Cigarette Boat' racing? and Packard was big into Cigarette Boat racing I know for sure.

Was Mr Kaiser himself rival to Packard in Cigarette Boat racing and this had something to do with development of Kaiser 288 to Rambler V8? (where the Packard engines were held in high esteem) I've scoured the Internet for at least 20 years to find leads on this but no; Kaiser did have a piece of Continental Motor Company (now Continental Teledyne, always rival to Lycoming) and when Continental lost it's big money contracts to build spark ignition airplane engines for US Military -when the contracts went to competitor companies building jet engines instead after Korean War- Continental employees/engine designers were laid off? and took jobs with 'other make' automakers (the legend of Potter working for American Motors finds parallel to Continental employee/engine designer taking a job with Chevrolet) All other research I've done to discover links from Kaiser to American Motors find a dead end road to nowhere.

Yes American Motors had long term deals with Gray Marine.

Gray Marine offered specialized/adapted versions of American Motors 250 and 327 V8 engines which were named "Fireball V8' (a Buick engine name!)


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443 XRV8 Gremlin YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=2DmFOKRuzUc
XRV8 Race Parts website: http://amcramblermarlin.1colony.com/


Posted By: amcenthusiast
Date Posted: Sep/05/2018 at 10:58pm
Oh yeah... I did some Internet research awhile back to learn more about alternators and found out Prestolite was/is a US Military supplier?

This seems to add explanation to why AM began to use Prestolite igniton in cars as AM General (military division) began to grow? (only speculation though/don't want to start any new AMC myths!)

Hmm, never heard about Maritech... got my curiosity going now...


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443 XRV8 Gremlin YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=2DmFOKRuzUc
XRV8 Race Parts website: http://amcramblermarlin.1colony.com/


Posted By: billd
Date Posted: Sep/05/2018 at 11:07pm
Prestolite supplied ignition systems for outboard motors, aircraft, several makes of tractors, trucks and cars, chain saws, lawn and garden equipment engines (such as Jacobsen, Tecumseh and others) and more. 
I'd have to dig through my Prestolite books to make a list of all they supplied for.
They supplied not only ignition systems, but starters, pump motors and more. 
They were associated with Leece-Neville, and Motorola as well. 

I have some NOS points and condensers left over from the years I ran a small engine shop back in the 1970s - still in their blue Prestolite boxes. 

So it's no shock at all that AMC would have used Prestolite, since they made ignition systems for many companies, for decades prior to that time. 

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Posted By: amcenthusiast
Date Posted: Sep/10/2018 at 6:38pm
Neat info Build.

I looked up 'Maritech' on Internet and found this:
https://www.marad.dot.gov/ships-and-shipping/national-maritime-resource-and-education-center/maritech/

Would it have anything to do with AM General trucks working in the logistics/supply chain? IE: Govt. contract for the trucks? Can only imagine...

Following quote taken from:
http://www.amgeneral.com/news-events/news/am-general-debuts-new-light-tactical-vehicle-at-eurosatory-2018/

"AM General representatives are available to discuss not only the innovative vehicles on display, but also the wide variety of mobility solutions the company can offer, as well as provide in-depth information on engineering and logistics services, award-winning global supply chain management, field service support, as well as parts and equipment warranty support."

http://www.amgeneral.com/our-products-and-services/service-parts-logistics/




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443 XRV8 Gremlin YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=2DmFOKRuzUc
XRV8 Race Parts website: http://amcramblermarlin.1colony.com/


Posted By: fast401
Date Posted: Sep/10/2018 at 7:59pm
When I toured the engine factory at Kenosha there must have been 100 plus 401 engines in the warehouse. The tour guide told us that they were for marine use. This was in 1982.

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Posted By: amcenthusiast
Date Posted: Sep/22/2018 at 10:01pm
Would knowing the type of boats those 401s might have gone into be insightful to understanding AMC's involvement with Maritech?


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443 XRV8 Gremlin YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=2DmFOKRuzUc
XRV8 Race Parts website: http://amcramblermarlin.1colony.com/


Posted By: Jmerican
Date Posted: Sep/24/2018 at 10:38am
I still got my ears on. This is interesting.


Posted By: a401classic
Date Posted: Sep/25/2018 at 5:48am
I had a 1976 18' Saguaro jet boat with a 401.  The exhaust manifolds were cast aluminum jacketed log style and were even dog leg matching.  The water pump on the front was replaced with an aluminum plate with holes for barbed fittings as the water source was from a takeoff on the jet pump, thru the exhaust to the motor then back out through the risers.  The rest wasn't exactly marine grade, but it worked well.

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Posted By: Jmerican
Date Posted: Nov/15/2018 at 3:30pm
Well, a tidbit on this. Meritec became Panther(?) and that seems to be a common package. AMC 360 and a Panther pump. Rated at 230 hp. There is some chatter I saw about a high comp version? Anyhow, I have a link here with one running in a boat, stock. It looks really fun and comes outta the troughs with some guts. Runs to 4800. I wonder what the oil pan was like... I wonder if it had steel gears in the timing chain department, and maybe good springs. Most marine valve springs are uprated and plated for anti corrosion.

This is not a shocking new discovery. Where were the 401s that were mentioned above, headed? Let’s learn more.

The Panther pumps can be reworked to be much more modern, apparently. But this link shows they worked. Maybe a bit less bad rump than today’s offerings but they are out there for cheap, ready to restore.


Posted By: Jmerican
Date Posted: Nov/15/2018 at 3:31pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2TWymCzn-c

Vid on 360/Panther


Posted By: 401jim
Date Posted: Jan/30/2020 at 4:00pm
I was looking for some amc stuff for the shop. I called Mancini racing in Michigan. I was told they no longer support amc products. They he advised that he had 2 marine take outs from a customer who was ticked off for not having chevy power in his new boat. I ran up there and purchased 2 amc 360 engines! Cheap money too! I was a happy camper! Perfectly brand new! What a deal.

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