These LA and Magnum series 360s aren’t to be confused with AMC’s 360-inch V8, which powered various AMC and Jeep models from 1970 through 1991. That AMC motor was such a powerhouse that Chrysler kept it in the Jeep lineup after purchasing the brand in 1987.
For now, let’s focus on the Mopar 360 that first appeared in 1971 as a midpoint between Chrysler’s existing 318 and 383 cubic inch V8s. The 360 was first offered as an option in the Plymouth Fury and Dodge Polara and as standard equipment in the Chrysler Newport Royal, all of which were built on the C-body platform.
Initially, it was topped with a two-barrel carburetor that gave it 255 gross horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque (via Motales). A truck version came in 1974, with a four-barrel carb, mild cam, and 200 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque. A California-legal version of the four barrel appeared the next year and dropped those numbers to 190 horsepower and 270 lb-ft. These smog restrictions didn’t quite put a potato in the tailpipe, but the mid-’70s versions of this motor had some of the lowest output numbers of any Mopar 360 V8.
