DAC scrapped the tooling for the DC-8 to make way for the DC-10. Flying Tigers offered them an order for 25 DC8-63F at any rate DAC wanted to build them, but DAC refused. Widebody was the rage.
Development and guarantees for Cat III autoland with the Bendix PB-30 autopilot on the DC-10 bankrupted the company, and allowed McDonnell to take over. The Sperry autoland on the 747 wasn't much better, but Boeing survived it. The Lear-Siegler/Collins autoland on the L-1011 was good for Cat IIIc, and maybe the best part of the airplane.
Imagine if DAC had stuck with the DC-8. How soon would more efficient engines been available?
GB