The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Has anyone done an emmision complaint stovebolt

Since I am new here I'm sure this must have been talked about already but.... I was channel surfing this pat weekend and caught the last 20 seconds or so of Hot RoD TV and they had built a CA emmision complaint street rod. Since I only caught the last bit of it I don't know any of the specifics, except that it sound just like it had straight pipes on it.When they put it on the sniffer, the emmisions came well within CA regulations.

I was wondering.... with all the "green" talk, has anybody thought or tried canabalizing say a late 90's small block with all the bells and whistles(aka crap) on it, and shoveing it into a stovebolt?

Are your saying you wanna take a new motor, put it in a old truck, leave all the emission controlls off, and pass inspection?

Law says (or at least trys to say) that the emissions standards for a vehicle is based off the year of the motor in the vehicle.

But that doesn't ever get "checked". I have a '86 sbc 350 in my '63 scout. exahust is headers to glasspacks, thats it, no cats. Carb is a non-emissions Holley. When I get it inspected the guys looks under the hood and doesn't even think twice about it because the title/insurance says 1963 scout.

Main point: Pretty much doesn't matter what modifications the vehicle has, the inspection requirments (in practice) are set by the year of the vehicle. ( seat belts, hazzards, emissions, etc.)

I believe they were showing the "e-Rod".

Fitted with a very green crate engine from Chevrolet.

e-rod LS3 crate engine

Hot Rod Magazine had an article on the e-rod engine install into a 1979 Camaro.

Cool article, cool car, the e-rod engine pricing starts at $8000! http://www.hotrod.com/projectbuild/hrdp_1101_project_1979_chevrolet_camaro_z28/index.html

And as far engine swaps go, if you put a newer engine in your emissions test required car/truck, the emissions check is based on the new motor, not the old car/truck.

That's the "advantage" of the e-rod engine, it already has an established emission specification (SEMA involvment... see above article), but it isn't a stripped down motor, it has the required emission components hanging on it.

Not something I am interested, but this may be a glimpse into our future?

You saying my truck with the 216 in it wouldn't pass inspection?

Now thats what I was looking for. It may not be soon, but evetually its going to happen where our hobby is regulated to the point its not practical unless you have a trailer queen.
I don't want to get into a long winded debate about global warming. Me personaly I feel its a big hoax. But at the same time I think its important to keep the air as heslthy as possible. so I guess my real question is, if you were starting a new resto/rod project, why not go as green as possible. furthermore what would some of the fab and technical challenges be in getting a stovebolt complaint?

OK, first check your spelling. I believe you mean "Compliant", not "Complaint". That being said... go ahead and knock yourself out on cleaner emmissions. If that's what you want go for it.

Here in California, Motor vehicles titled as a 1973 and earlier are smog exempt. I have a 1959 gmc 1/2 ton long bed that will never require smog. I have a 1959 Pontiac 389 in there that has been bored and stroked to 447 inches. It has a 1957 Pontiac tripower manifold on it and is set up for 325-375hp... never dino tested, but it runs like a raped ape. I have no doubt this engine would meat the emissions standards for a 1959 vehicle. It also does better on gas than the 336 v8 that was in there.

My thoughts on the subject... if you really want to be green, why not convert it to an electric vehicle, or even a hybrid. I like to drive mine, and although mine is not stock, Parts are relatively easy to come by, and I don't need several parts interchange books to find the correct part. My truck is considered green because it would take more energy to recycle it than it does to keep driving it.

John

first off check your spelling on the word meat i think it should be "meet" LOL. The only thing I would question is when you say your truck "will never be required to have smog" I think we have all seen how our government can get away with doing just about anything they want. all they have to do is walk up the steps of congress with an oversized gable (if you know what i mean). I live hear in NJ and can tell ya that the word "grandfathered" means nothing.
I have been a self employed painter for nearly 30 years and within the last 2 years have had the EPA throw all kinds of new lead regulations at me. now when I go to work I literaly have to watch out for the "paint police" Gone are the days of working with "grandfathered drop clothes" now I have to turn the house into a plastic tarped, "vapor locked clean room" This was all done in the back rooms of the EPA were the Sierra club has access, but not the common citizen. Again I think the whole global warming thing is a hoax and just a mechanism to fleece our money and life style.
To stay on topic... I was just wondering what kind of fabrication and technical issues you would have doing a compliant install as far as fit in the engine compartment, while maintaining the street rod sound and appearance.

"has anybody thought or tried canabalizing say a late 90's small block with all the bells and whistles(aka crap) on it, and shoveing it into a stovebolt?"

Absolutely. However those engines are not considered Stovebolts. There are lots of late model bent motors (V8's) in old trucks but you won't find too many here as most of them are older engines from the 57-80 era. It is just easier and since the emissions are not required why bother. Also SEMA does an outstanding job of lobbying against such idiotic crap and has won all the contests so far. SEMA represents a very large market (billions) so congress (small C intended) listens.

This site is more into what has been determined to mean Stovebolt - pre 73' and that is being pretty open IMHO.