Fordnatics List Archive

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Sixto Bernal)


i just talked to Stan at the Bureau of Automotive Repairs here
in California. he's one of their Technical support people.
i asked him about swapping engines into older cars. the jist of
our conversation was that swaps involving '66 and newer cars
follow the engine.

a '76 motor into a '66 motor must be smoged to the standards that
applied to cars for '76.

i guess i'll be hauling my original '66 289 block out of storage
to use in my Cleveland 6.0L...

thx, "for evil to triumph,
sixto good men need only do nothing."
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Kelly Murray <(email redacted)>


> i just talked to Stan at the Bureau of Automotive Repairs here
> in California. he's one of their Technical support people.
> i asked him about swapping engines into older cars. the jist of
> our conversation was that swaps involving '66 and newer cars
> follow the engine.
> a '76 motor into a '66 motor must be smoged to the standards that
> applied to cars for '76.

You can't tell me that an inspector is actually going to lookup casting
numbers on an engine block. Years ago in CA, I had to sign a document
that said what year the "obviously non-stock V8" engine in my Vega was.
Has anyone ever heard or experienced the level of checking done on a car
in California now?

The 429 didn't come out till '68, so this might be a real problem for me.
Could I possibly pass off a 429 as a '65 428 ?? Maybe put 428 stickers
on the valve covers or something?
I could say it was just an "off-by-one" mistake if I was caught.. )

-Kelly Murray

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Sixto Bernal)

i actually talked to Stan about that. he seemed like a car buff
and knew about the difference between the various blocks.

so it becomes a gamble, risk an inspection in the hopes that you
get some clerk type who wouldn't know or get unlucky an end up
with somebody like Stan who does know.

i haven't been through an inspection, i don't know whether they
crawl under your car to check the casting number or just go by
the date code on the front of the deck. can somebody who has
gone through the whole process post what happened to them ???


thx, "for evil to triumph,
sixto good men need only do nothing."
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------


> Date: Wed, 23 Nov 1994 14:07:01 -0500
> From: Kelly Murray <(email redacted)>
>
>
> You can't tell me that an inspector is actually going to lookup casting
> numbers on an engine block. Years ago in CA, I had to sign a document
> that said what year the "obviously non-stock V8" engine in my Vega was.
> Has anyone ever heard or experienced the level of checking done on a car
> in California now?
>
> -Kelly Murray

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Sixto Bernal)

you're probably right, the fact is in order to get 'caught' the
inspector would have to know how to decode either the casting
numbers or the date code.

what with CA budget cutbacks and so forth, either the inpectors will
be brand new(clueless) or very senior(in the know because they
were the only ones left after the layoffs).

i guess it boils down to how i want to handle the risk. are the block
police going to stop me on the street ? probably not. but at the
same time, we have to deal with a very idealistic environmental CA
legislature. whether you or i agree with the Smog Police or not,
they do have the force of law behind them.


besides, just imaging being able to open Ramona's hood and showing
them a beautiful looking 289, Ford blue, Cobra valve covers and
matching air cleaner. with all the right date codes. but you and
i would know that it's really a 6.0L stroker.

now that's justice...

thx, "for evil to triumph,
sixto good men need only do nothing."
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From (email redacted) Wed Nov 23 11:46 PST 1994
>
> What are they gonna do ask you to remove the intake and show them the
> C6AF-xxxx type part #'s?
>
> Your law may be different, but even so, I would think that real-world it
> would be difficult to enforce.
>
> Tom

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Frank Marrone)

I havn't been through the inspection process (yet) but
after many inquiries and much reading it is my understanding
that in their infinite benevolence the CA smog police
recognize the need for "replacement" block exemptions.
What this means is that it doesn't matter if the block
you use was for a later year model than your car as
long as the engine has all the original smog equipment
for the year of the vehicle. I interpret this to mean
that any 289/302 and probably 5.0 block would be Ok in
a `66 stang, probably not a 351W though. But, what
they can't see they can't know and a 6.0L from a 302 block
should be just fine!!


- --
Frank Marrone at (email redacted)
1965 Sunbeam Tiger B9471116
1960 Sunbeam Alpine Series I B9009330
1966 Ford LTD 4-door family barge.

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Dave Williams)


-> a '76 motor into a '66 motor must be smoged to the standards that
-> applied to cars for '76.

Does this mean must have all '76 smog equipment, or just that it must
pass '76 emissions levels? Unless you go crazy with the cam the 6.0
should slide by easily.

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Dave Williams)


-> you're probably right, the fact is in order to get 'caught' the
-> inspector would have to know how to decode either the casting
-> numbers or the date code.

Ford casting numbers are so ridiculously easy to decode, though. Even
an inspector might be clued in.

However, *seeing* the code, since it's upside down over the starter,
would be interesting. A little work with the grinder while the engine
is being assembled, and there wouldn't even *be* a casting number. If
they say anything about it, just stand there and look confused.
[confused I do okay, innocent needs more work]

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Frank Marrone)

On Nov 23, 6:25pm, MTN-KAT wrote:
> Subject: Re: engine swaps
> I'm curious as to whether you could claim that the engine that you swapped in
> was from a truck and therefore had no smog?
>
> Millam
>-- End of excerpt from MTN-KAT

This is not the way I understand it. You should check it out
yourself but I believe the basic truth is that you are required
to have the smog devices for your year car or motor, which ever is
newer. You seem to have an interesting loophole but the "feel" I
get from the smog cops is that this won't fly. There is some
clause about only engine swaps allowed are those "configurations"
that were originaly offered in the model in question. I think
that this is where they would get you. "Replacement" blocks OK.

This is for CA BTW, I am not in the know
for other states. In my recent experience I have found CA to be very
hard ass on this. If your smog stuff is broke but on the car
you can get off pretty easy, on the otherhand if it is missing
your F*c*ed. Ca. has gone to the point of developing a partenership
of sorts with used parts dealers (AKA wreckers) to assure the
availability of obsolete smog devices! I have some phone numbers if your
interested in learning more (god help you if you are/need to).




- --
Frank Marrone at (email redacted)
1965 Sunbeam Tiger B9471116
1960 Sunbeam Alpine Series I B9009330
1966 Ford LTD 4-door family barge.