Emissions

[rockman20]

Looking at Swervin's thread about new exhaust got me to wondering how emissions work. Up here in North Dakota, we do not need to pass any emissions, but any exhaust shop in town will not touch your vehicle if it doesn't have the emissions on it when it is suppose to have it.

So my question is this. How do emissions work for those of you who have to abide by them? I have a 1982 Chevy Scottsdale that was a 6.2L Diesel. It has a gas 350 in it now. So does the truck have to be a true diesel to pass emissions? If not, would the 350 have to have cats on it since it really started it's life as a diesel and didn't have them? I have always wondered about how something like this works.

Thanks!