Scrapping the smog (hypothetically of course)

[Army_Dude]

Cause I know none of you upstanding citizens would actuall know how to do this. Anyways, I found out it's true, it's all true. I am currently to return to Iraq in or about November. Soooo, being as there will be no smog inspections here when I return, well you get the point...

Here's the deal, it's an 85 chevy with a new crate 350 from Goodwrench. The intake is stock as is the carb and exhaust.

Question is should I wait till I get headers and a new intake (already got a new carb waiting to install with headers and intake) OR can I just take this crap off and plug the holes? I'm assuming I'll need to dial in the carb again right? thanks guys for any all advise. I want to get all this done prior to leaving so hopefully when I return I can paint and enjoy it.

[Jonboy]

I think you may be able to just pull it off and cap the holes. If you are planning on headers, I would just do that. It would be really sad if teh exhaust was so bad, it just fell off with the catalytic converter, and you had to install new dual exhaust too. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

[Army_Dude]

No man, the exhaust has been done before. (I got the joke though). The cats were gone before I got it. So it wouldn't pass anyway. I do plan on when I get the headers to replace all pipe. We got a craft shop here on post and they got EVERYTHING. Lift bays, muffler bays, welders, tube benders, they even sell the pipe!. But yeah I just meant the sensors and doodads on the engine itself.

[BigDan3131]

For the most part aftermarket intakes dont have as many holes as a stock one. Are you just going to leave it stock? or are you going to change cams and such later on?
Chevy Hi Performance magazine had an article a few years ago about taking the stock motor you have and slowly adding parts to make more power. I think it was called the Goodwrench Quest series parts 1-8 or 9. Or if you dont want to lean on your motor find a 4-71 blower and use that instead. It uses One Carb instead of two and you get all the extra torque.

[Army_Dude]

Since the motor is new, I'm leaving the cam and all stock. My only plans for upgrade are headers, intake, and distibutor.

[Chevrolet4x4s]

What are the inspection standards in NC?How far back do they smog em?What I am getting at is if I would put a diesel in a non diesel truck(pre 87) am I gonna beable to get a sticker without cats or will I have to get some and smash the guts out of them?
Thanks
Shane

[piecesparts]

You can pull the stuff that you have off and use the factory exhaust manifolds for the time being. The factory intake can also be used until the right time presents itself, with one exception( The carb that you are going to put on MAY be a square bore carb (Edelbrock of Carter AFB design) and the intake may not be layed out for that design (spreadbore holes in the intake). You may have to get an adaptor to mount the carb. If that is the case, I would look for a different intake manifold and just bolt it on instead.
While you are at it doing the intake, I would consider the distributor at that time. Unless you are going exotic on the "Dizzy", you could get a great amount of performance out of an older style Chevrolet HEI distributor. Just change the weights and springs inside it for a quicker advance profile (cheap kit). When you were broken and setting in my yard, I thought that was what you already had under the hood. When I rebuilt my 383 in the truck I put an HEI distributor fro the "Carb Shop" in my truck and then put the older HEI distributor in my son's Red 86 Chevy motor. I also have found that the Edelbrok or Wiend intakes had all of the holes that I needed to connect everything that I wanted on my motor. I hooked up the brake vacuum to the hole in the back of the carburetor. I then connected a brass elbow and reasonably large hose barb to the vacuum port behind the carb and ran that hose to the firewall. Once at the firewall, I then branched out to the other sources that I needed vacuum for (cruise, heater, etc...). The vacuum for the distributor comes off of the carb on the front (the non-ported fitting), for a quicker advance curve. The other things on the intake for vacuum will be a lost item (forever). The only other thing is the hot water outlet to the heater on the passenger front corner of the intake. I would look at the Edelbrock Performer RPM style intake over the Edelbrock Performer, due to the point where the power curve is the mnost effective. The RPM is about an inch taller and the power curve is from 1500 to 6500 RPM, where the Performer is 0 to 5000 RPM. Keep in mind you really don't start to work your vehicle until the RPMs are above a 1000 anyways.

The exhaust manifold's air tubes can be removed and there are brass plugs that can be screwed into their openings. I originally bought mine at a local parts store. They worked fine for many years, until I installed the headers.

Do you rmemeber what T/stat you installed with the new motor? Get ahold of a 180 degree unit and install it for a better all around temperature on the engine and a better operating mix on the intake air charge to the cylinders.

[C&C Chevy]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

The exhaust manifold's air tubes can be removed and there are brass plugs that can be screwed into their openings. I originally bought mine at a local parts store. They worked fine for many years, until I installed the headers.

Anyone know what size the plugs are for the exhaust manifold?

[piecesparts]

Something odd like an 8 MM tubing plug. My parts store had them in big bags and they were easy to get then.

[C&C Chevy]

Thanks piecesparts!