Apollo launch vehicle configuration

[PMN1]

When the rocket to launch Apollo to the moon was designed, was the historical Saturn V the only configuration looked at?

Did anyone propose for example an equivalent of Ares V / Jupiter but with liquid boosters?

 

[Triton]

NASA was originally going to develop the Nova launch vehicle to take man to the moon.
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/nova.htm

It gets confusing because the name Nova was also used for contractor studies for NASA post-Saturn launch vehicles.

There was also debate whether the Apollo spacecraft would fly directly to the moon called "Direct", use Earth Orbit Rendezvous (EOR), or Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR). Early Nova and Saturn studies used "Direct" while later design studies used LOR.

Overview of the development of the Saturn-family of launch vehicles at Encyclopedia Astronautica:
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/saturni.htm

Overview of losing Apollo spacecraft designs and unbuilt modifications at Encyclopedia Astronautica:
http://www.astronautix.com/craftfam/apollo.htm

Saturn V-family of launch vehicles at Encyclopedia Astronautica describes variants some with solid and liquid-fueled strap on boosters:
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/saturnv.htm

You should also make use of this forum's Search function since many images of Saturn variants are posted throughout Secret Projects.