tell me about the old 304s

my 69 ambassador has the first 304 that carried over to jeep when amc stopped producing.
i am doing major body work/customizing, so i have alot of time to talk about the 304 before i dive in. tranny is out to be rebuilt FYI. all the wires in the engine bay are melted due to the previous owner running w/o a battery cap. suggestions? easy mods? difficult mods? specs? anything will be appreciated.

website, importanthttp://www.amxfiles.com/resource/tech/v8faq.html

i bought a 78 wagoneer and then i started learning about amc motors, they actuall did a pretty good job, my 401 is cruisen on 200,000 miles leakes oil burns oil but i just drove it 1000 miles 12 hours at a time, i know the 401 has forged steel connecting rods and crankshaft.

AMC engines, especially the 401, also the 360 were better than the average old Detriot V8. The heards flowed very well right from the factory and the bottom ends were quite strong. If they had any weak spots, they had the same problem as the old Buick V8.s the front timing cover is aluminum and has the integral oil pump. The aluminum is a bit vulnerable to corrosion and wear, given the age of the engines.

Cool :)