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Emissions Testing - 1968?

case12

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Oct 8, 2004
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Crystal Lake, IL
This may have been covered before. I just found out (from the state of Illinois letter) that in certain Illinois zip codes, that any car 1968 or younger must go for emissions testing. You can exempt if you have antique plates, or are a show car - meaning you cant drive it anywhere but to shows. I like to drive mine anywhere so I have regular plates.

Sooo - what emmissions are they testing, and what do I do about it if the CS fails? I have nothing emissions related on the original engine accept a PCV valve. There just wasnt any emissions stuff on my engine in 1968. I have read horror stories of people rebuilding entire engines and not passing. My neighbor's lawn mower probably puts out more poor emissions than my CS as infrequently as I drive it.

Anyone else run into this problem in other places? Casey
 

TheBlkPearl

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Sep 28, 2005
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Boise
Similar laws here in Boise, Idaho. My Special passed without any emission modifications. My 67 Elcamino will not pass and I have the ugly antique plates on it. I drive it a lot and have never been questioned by law enforcement. Technically it is for shows and parades but can be driven for other reasons such as to a parts store or mechanics shop. Get it tested first, you may pass and not have to consider other options...Good Luck...

Randy
 

Mosesatm

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Casey, my old GT/CS passed the Oregon and California emissions tests with flying colors and that engine had almost 200,000 miles on it. Most states allow for a lot of pollutants out of old cars.

If your car runs well you shouldn't have any problems. Just make sure it is warmed up and isn't running rich. Some people cheat a little by adjusting the timing, I just can't remember which way. They probably advance it so it's closer to TDC.
 

BroadwayBlue

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They do say lawn mowers are some of the worst in emissions output.

In NY cars that are less than 2 years old or more than 25 years old are exempt from Emissions testing. Not that is helps you Casey but an FYI.
I know a few houses for sale if you want to move :grin:
 

p51

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Aug 2, 2005
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NorCal
case12 said:
This may have been covered before. I just found out (from the state of Illinois letter) that in certain Illinois zip codes, that any car 1968 or younger must go for emissions testing. You can exempt if you have antique plates, or are a show car - meaning you cant drive it anywhere but to shows. I like to drive mine anywhere so I have regular plates.

Sooo - what emmissions are they testing, and what do I do about it if the CS fails? I have nothing emissions related on the original engine accept a PCV valve. There just wasnt any emissions stuff on my engine in 1968. I have read horror stories of people rebuilding entire engines and not passing. My neighbor's lawn mower probably puts out more poor emissions than my CS as infrequently as I drive it.

Anyone else run into this problem in other places? Casey
Since 1968 was the first year for emissions testing in the US as a whole (CA was 1966) I would guess (and its only a guess) that they are testing 1968 cars to the 1968 requirements. As the only emissions control on car in 1968 was the pcv value I would imagine that if your pcv valve is working you should pass.

Here in CA they have a rolling 30-yr exemption - any car 30yrs or older doesnt have to have an emissions checked at all. You're pretty much free to make any kind of mods you want to it :cheesy:
 
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PNewitt

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Off hand, I can't remember what your car's DSO is (Pasadena, CA??). As a general rule, cars outside of Calif., didn't have the smog tubes on the heads. They call these cars "Federal" engines. A lot of these are in Canada, too.

The main thing that you lower the NOx and the CO levels. You can do this by slightly retarding the timing, and turn down the metering screws on the carb--but don't make it "shudder" too much. Just enough to keep it running pretty well--but a slight shake at idle. On Holleys, just a quarter turn of the metering screws knocks the CO down quite a lot!

I also use those spark plugs called "Split Fire" that really burn the CO out of the engine. Some people don't like them, but it worked on my car long ago when I needed to smog it.

"IF" they say to you "as per 1968", then it should be for Illinois for 1968 (or where it was originally sold). But who knows those specs? As long as it looks stock, and runs "clean", then I think it will be OK.

Keep up posted, 'cause this in good info for other states' owners.

Paul.
 

J_Speegle

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PNewitt said:
Off hand, I can't remember what your car's DSO is (Pasadena, CA??). As a general rule, cars outside of Calif., didn't have the smog tubes on the heads. They call these cars "Federal" engines. A lot of these are in Canada, too.

Paul.

In 68 there was no Calif and 49 state cars, the requirments were the same for all US delivered Mustangs including CS's. 67 was the last year for that until 70 when there were different requirments again - depending on which engine was installed
 
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PNewitt

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I stand corrected....you're right, Jeff. It's that way in the FORD Parts books.

I'm just wondering where that "federal engine" stuff came from? Was that a Calif Smog (B.A.R.) big idea?

So--it's OK to bring in an out of state '68 with heads with no holes, and it gets (got) a special "Federal" designation, but if you're in Calif., you're stuck with restoring an OEM setup?

Yeah, that makes sense.....

I'm so glad they dropped the whole smog thing for pre-75. What a mess!

Paul.
 

J_Speegle

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PNewitt said:
I stand corrected....you're right, Jeff. It's that way in the FORD Parts books.

Can't always trust them... plenty of examples of screw ups

PNewitt said:
I'm just wondering where that "federal engine" stuff came from? Was that a Calif Smog (B.A.R.) big idea?

Not sure of any reference in BAR books about 68 federal stuff . If so its likely just a carry over from 67

PNewitt said:
So--it's OK to bring in an out of state '68 with heads with no holes, and it gets (got) a special "Federal" designation, but if you're in Calif., you're stuck with restoring an OEM setup?

It's ok to bring in a 68 Mustang form another state as long as it has all the original smog that it originally came with. On manual transmission cars (all states) that would mean tubes and a pump


PNewitt said:
I'm so glad they dropped the whole smog thing for pre-75. What a mess!

Well sort of. You still have to have the original smog system for your car installed if DMV or CHP want to inspect it. Just don't have the annual inspections - currently. You can expect that they will continue to try and reinstate inspections as gas prices rise.
 
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PNewitt

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Hey Jeff,

Not to argue with, or challenge your points.....but I'll have to look at the exact wording of the law regarding pre-1974 vehicle "smog" rules. I have to do that for the book anyway.

I don't want readers here--that live in Calif., to feel as if they are "in trouble" if they've pulled off the tubes, different heads, intake, air cleaner, etc. There is a HUGE gap in the exact letter of the "law", and the realities of what is actually out there.

I think that the legal folks at SEMA (Speciality Equip. Manufacturer's Assn.) would have something to say about that, too. I think a good argument could be made about the science of '68 smog technology (use of cold air tube, snorkle, tubes and a pump, etc.) versus the actual NOx, O2, and CO levels on a machine, without these same (useless) items.

It's easy to say "as original" in the minds of the BAR/ARB (Air Resources Board) folks as an end-all, but I feel it's meant as one more intimidation to get folks out of "older" cars, regardless of their value as a collectible. This vague intimidation is very unfair, and that uncertainty is what makes people sell their older cars--by design--by the state of Calif. Collector cars (incl street rods, etc.) make up only 3% of the vehicles on the road. If ARB wants a 3% drop in emissions, they go down the path of least resistance--"us" (instead of, say, newer SUVs).

I think SEMA has just recently "won" some sort of legal battle. It boils down to big $$--not the logic or "what's right". You don't see the car companies going out of their way to help older car owners, do you? No. They want you to buy new. Period. (yet they love to get those same older cars to come to their car show at the dealership to promote the new cars...so; go figure).

I hope to settle this (as it stands now) by contacting SEMA, and looking at the Ca. Veh. code regarding this pre-74 law.

As a side note--I got a handout at a CHP booth at a county fair last month, and one of the "new laws" is that the officer can decide--on the spot--if your exhaust is too loud. No, no decible meter needed. It's purely subjective; which I find extremely unfair. I think this was dreamed up to go after the import cars that street race. It reminds me of movies where the officer breaks the headlight with a bat, then cites the owner for "a headlight out".

Let's see what out options are. I don't want owners in Calif. "freaking out" about this.

Paul.
 

gtcs1

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Jun 17, 2006
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Smog Equipment list

Is there a link to the schematic (or other means to show) of the correct SMOG equipment originally on a 68 from Los Angeles area

J_Speegle said:
In 68 there was no Calif and 49 state cars, the requirments were the same for all US delivered Mustangs including CS's. 67 was the last year for that until 70 when there were different requirments again - depending on which engine was installed
 

Mosesatm

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PNewitt said:
Collector cars (incl street rods, etc.) make up only 3% of the vehicles on the road. If ARB wants a 3% drop in emissions, they go down the path of least resistance--"us" (instead of, say, newer SUVs).

Paul.

Paul I'm pretty sure getting rid of 3% of the cars on the road, if they are all old cars, would reduce auto emissions by much more than a 3%. New cars (even SUVs) produce only a small fraction of the emissions of '60s vintage cars.
 
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case12

case12

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Mosesatm said:
Paul I'm pretty sure getting rid of 3% of the cars on the road, if they are all old cars, would reduce auto emissions by much more than a 3%. New cars (even SUVs) produce only a small fraction of the emissions of '60s vintage cars.

We should also assume that those 3% arent on the road as much as all the other vehicles - I know mine are not.

BTW, I heard a presentation by one of our engineers in our automotive electronics business (which we just sold to Continental) that they now have modules (being tested in the Viper) that actually clean the exhaust emissions to BETTER than what was taken in - in other words, soon new vehicles will be cleaning the air rather than polluting it! Casey
 
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case12

case12

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Crystal Lake, IL
Hagerty sent me a letter of endorsement saying that my CS is mostly used as a show car - that, along with a form I fill out for the DMV should exempt me.....I got it as a back up if I dont pass. Casey
 

J_Speegle

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p51 said:
You're pretty much free to make any kind of mods you want to it :cheesy:

Not really the law excepts owners from the biannual testing but was not established to allow owners to remove emission systems.

I'm a little familar with the bill. When we got the exemption established I was one of six people that spoke/testified in front of the committee in support of the bill though I think the rolling 30 yr limit is silly
 

J_Speegle

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PNewitt said:
Hey Jeff,

Not to argue with, or challenge your points.....but I'll have to look at the exact wording of the law regarding pre-1974 vehicle "smog" rules. I have to do that for the book anyway.

It’s just a discussion. Have been pretty close to the subject as I've stepped in on a number of occasions to represent groups of owners when BARs documentation was lacking and when retrofitting was not acceptable. I also was one of a handful that represented the hobby during State Senate hearings on the bill when it was passed.

"Federal cars" Sorry I thought your reference was to 68 cars in particular not lumping all pre 74 cars



PNewitt said:
I don't want readers here--that live in Calif., to feel as if they are "in trouble" if they've pulled off the tubes, different heads, intake, air cleaner, etc. There is a HUGE gap in the exact letter of the "law", and the realities of what is actually out there.

We all understand that there is the law and enforcement but the gap narrows if the representative chooses to apply it. It is the law and an owner makes their choices... no whining ;)


PNewitt said:
I think that the legal folks at SEMA (Speciality Equip. Manufacturer's Assn.) would have something to say about that, too. I think a good argument could be made about the science of '68 smog technology (use of cold air tube, snorkle, tubes and a pump, etc.) versus the actual NOx, O2, and CO levels on a machine, without these same (useless) items.

Remember it has little to do with science or what comes out the tail pipe. And these points have been made over and over again since the 70's.

All current emission testing (had one done today in fact) relies first on a visual inspection. Had one failure a few years back because the gas cap didn't look right though it sealed perfectly and worked as designed. It’s only going to get tougher

PNewitt said:
It's easy to say "as original" in the minds of the BAR/ARB (Air Resources Board) folks as an end-all, .....


One of the difficult is that that is not always applied. On some of the limited production cars "as original" has not been good enough and that is where we've often gotten involved. In addition their (BAR/ARB) documentation of Ford products is not always correct (in fact not all of Ford's stuff is as produced but as designed)

PNewitt said:
As a side note--I got a handout at a CHP booth at a county fair last month, and one of the "new laws" is that the officer can decide--on the spot--if your exhaust is too loud. No, no decibel meter needed. It's purely subjective; which I find extremely unfair. I think this was dreamed up to go after the import cars that street race. It reminds me of movies where the officer breaks the headlight with a bat, then cites the owner for "a headlight out".

Don't agree the officer did not put the mufflers or exhaust system on the owner’s car. Not to argue but to offer another view point - subjective is not always unfair as long as it’s consistent ;)
 

J_Speegle

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case12 said:
I have nothing emissions related on the original engine accept a PCV valve. There just wasnt any emissions stuff on my engine in 1968.

You don't have the PVS (ported vacuum switch) on the therostate housing that controls the vacuum advance at the dist? That was part of the IMCO system used on cars like J codes with automatics
 
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PNewitt

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First of all, thanks, Jeff for representing us at the State Senate hearings.

I personally get more frustrated when goverment agencies get overzealous--and yet don't know what is what. To wield this big "staff of the law", yet don't know (or care) the way it originally was, fairness and consistency fails.

It's one of those things where those with the big $$ get their way. But, isn't that always the case in the automotive world?

The bottom line is that "the cat is out of the bag", in regards to mods, alum intakes, HP ignitions, headers, etc., etc., are on thousands of cars over 30 years old. I personally resent this "fear of the law" when it is applied inconsistently. I used to play this smog game from '74 to when they repealed it. Can you imagine if Calif. really went after engine mod parts on older cars? The SEMA members would scream "loss of jobs", and it's an election year...

It's not as if every manufacturer and car club would/could provide specs (along with updates, inconsistencies, recalls, etc..) to ARB, and everyone complied. That would be a fair playing field. Instead, they put the fear of gawd into the average guy to comply. This is something that needs to be taken to court to challenge--so it WOULD be fair. There are too many holes in the ARB/BAR "requirements".

It's the owners of the GT/CS that get the shaft in this way--that taints the hobby. I (we?) hope to cure this, so we have an educated defense, and know exactly what is what--in a real world way. I'll put everything I can about the smog setups for the 1968 engines, and that way, we'll know at our end, whether is for compliance, or for bone-stock concours.

BTW--wasn't it ARB that came up with that awful gas additive? (MTSB??)

Paul.
 

C160223

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J_Speegle said:
That was part of the IMCO system used on cars like J codes with automatics

J Speegle,
Was IMCO used on all 289, 302 engines in '68, with either manual or auto transmissions? My GT/CS is a Canadian car, ordered with Canadian Non-Emmision System. It has a 289 2V/ 3 spd manual. Would it still have IMCO?
 
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