American Motors' president, George W. Mason, negotiated a verbal agreement with Packard that the two companies would supply parts for each other when practical. This was a prelude to a possible merger of the two companies at a later date, but that never occurred. With the industry-wide acceptance of V8 engine designs after World War II, AMC started buying Packard V8s in 1954 for the 1955 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet. These Packard V8s were supplied extra thick headgaskets to reduce power output and came mated Packard "Ultramatic" automatic transmissions only. In addition to the verbal agreement, Packard sent AMC some parts bids, but these were rejected as too expensive. George W. Romney, AMC's new leader, decided against further relationships with Packard shortly after entering the position of CEO in October 1954 after Mason's sudden death. It is said that Romney gave orders to design an in-house V8 engine as quickly as possible.