Alright so I got a rebuilt 302 motor I'm taking out of a 65 and dropping into my 94 GT. I BELIEVE the motor is pre-70. So since I'm still getting my feet wet this leads to a few questions.
1) will I still have to smog my car?
2) will x pipes designed for the sn95 still fit this motor?
3) will it need catalytic converters or can I cut them out?

Anyone won could shed some light on here for me would be greatly appreciated.

 

everything from your old motor will fit the new motor. Smog depends on if you live in an area that requires it

 

I live in Cali

 

But I don't know if the smog law is based on the year of the car or year of the motor?

 

Year of the car

 

I was thinking about dropping a rebuilt 1965 302 into my 1994 GT but the DMV said its based on the car's year and that motor won't pass smog

 

They are full of it too, Hot Rod Magazine built a 1,000 hp carbureted 502 big block that passed cali's smog test. It's all in the tuning. That 65 model engine is almost identical to your 94 in every way with minor exceptions, like the valve size in the heads, and the runner size of the heads.

 

DMV didn't say it wouldn't pass a family friend built it for the 65 it wouldn't pass smog unless I put a lot of money in it.

 

engine swaps in newer cars are a pain, unless you are mechanically inclined I wouldn't do it. Probably cheaper and easier to buy what you want

 

I was thinking about that too. This car has sentimental value tho. I really want to lose the fuel injected motor and go with a carbureted 351

 

I live in Massachusetts, like California we have very strict emissions I think you would have a hard time passing emissions with a carbureted motor. I think your best bet would be to buy a 1996-98 cobra as a good starting point. I've noticed these are getting affordable now. I understand sentimental value but at the end of the day living in California, this project seems very risky

 

The Peoples Republic of California.......



If you want to go carbureted, you would probably need to make the car a track only car. I dont see a way that you will be able to keep your emission systems on the car so it will pass the inspection.

 

laws will depend from state to state. I believe most standards are going to go with the model year of the car and not the powerplant.

 

I know for s fact 1996-up cars wont allow for such a swap because they have the diagnostic ports (OBII?). You may get away with a 1994-95 car but then again California has the strictest emissions on the country.

 

That's why you remove the factory computer and replace it with one from the donor car. It does away with the diagnostic port.

 

Yeah but an old carburetored motor wont have a computer

 

All an old carb motor will need is a switched power wire to the positive side of the distributor, a switched power to the excite post on the alternator, and and the feeds to the starter

 

Are you just saying for emissions junk they won't work?

You could easily put a carbed motor in any car really because they don't rely on the computer to run. Now getting it to pass an emissions test, that's where it gets tricky.

 

I mean passing the emissions test, I remember my cousin converted his 98 to a carbed 5.0 and was unable to pass inspection with it. He ended up turning it into a drag car because it wasnt street legal. Massachusetts and California have the toughest emissions standards in the country, even most new cold air kits are illegal on Massachusetts and California!