NO ...it will NOT satisfy California regs. The minimum "cleanness" (and
equipment) must be NO EARLIER than the year of the car. It may be newer,
but to bring an earlier engine into compliance is virtually impossible,
You'd need to modify it to work with the cat if it needs one, install an
air pump, engineer all other 1974 equipment needs for a California car,
and THEN have it meet the HC and CO specs for 1974. All in all a
daunting task. The '80 would need to have it's computer, if any, and
other plumbing and sensors as it would not only need them to meet
"sniffer" specs, but would also need to meet a visual inspection that
all the goodies (baddies?) the BAR list says must be on a 1980 are, in
fact, present.
A swapped car will probably ALSO need to go to a "referee" station the
first time so that they can develop a special profile for that
particular swap and installation. Future inspections can be done at a
regular smog station. The referee inspection means extra $$$, a special
appointment, and other garbage, but I'm not sure of the specifics.
All in all, it would be a LOT less work to trade the '74 for a '73 and
avoid all the hassles, since they are now grandfathered to be exempt.
All of the above is why I resisted furiously working on anything newer
than a 1967 during my 35+ years of repair and restoration!
Jarl de Boer
Jim Stuart wrote:
>
> Bill-
>
> Why not start with a Buick or Olds block, 1961-63, with your choice of
> heads & other parts? Would this satisfy CA regs?
>
> Many of us run rebuilt Buick or Olds engines, & are quite happy with
> them.
>
> Jim Stuart
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