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Mail From: Kelly Murray <(email redacted)>


Hey, strange your reply arrived before I even got the original message!

> >On Jul 19, 10:39, Kelly Murray wrote:
> > In general, I'd say building wierd motor setups to get a little more
> > cubic inches is not really cost-effective, and doing it to get a lot
> > more inches, it's better to just use a bigger motor and just get a little
> > more weight. Where it really makes sense is for a Street Racer.

> Andre replies:
> ...or for a car in a very strict smog-inspecting state like California.
> Let's see, you want to drop a 351W into your 1990 Mustang. Well, you
> need an engine that's CARB-certified for use in a 1990 or later passenger
> car. Gee, that's too bad, Ford hasn't gotten CARB approval for an H.O.
> version of the 351 for that time frame. Guess you're out of luck. A
> Lightning crate motor? Sorry, son, but that's out of a truck and they
> have different rules than passenger cars.

> A stroker is an interesting option out here...

I wonder if the inspectors can really tell the difference between a 351W
and a 302. Things must have gotten much worse since I lived there.
(BTW, when I had my V8-Vega smog inspected in L.A circa 1983, I had to
sign a document stating my engine was out of a 1960-something.
I also had to put on a stock air-cleaner -- I had to remove the hood
so I could fit on my Dad's truck air-cleaner, which poked up about 1 foot in
the air. Silliest thing you've ever seen -- but it passed!)

Fortunately in Gainesville, FL, we have no inspections whatsoever. None.
I can put a 460 in a '93 Mustang if I want.
Insurance might still be a problem, though.

Does CA have any exceptions?? Isn't a car that is 25yrs old exempt?
I might move back to CA in the future, and want my "Pro-Street" car to
actually be a street car. I've been leaning towards building
an early 60's Falcon for this reason, even though it will be a lot less
hassle to build a 80's Mustang (and worth more I'd imagine too).

-Kelly Murray (email redacted)
'72 Mustang 460 Gainsville, Florida
Get caught in the DRAGnet Web --- prl.ufl.edu/dragnet/