All California Members

[LynnJr]

You can use any year block you have available.
If you use a 2010 block your truck will need to pass 2010 smog requirements.
If you use a 1957 block your truck will be required to meet the requirements of your trucks year and not the blocks year.

Smog and registration in California goes by whichever is newest.
If you buy a salvaged truck and the truck is a 1966 and you spend 5 years putting it together in your garage with a 2010 motor.You take it to the DMV and when they register it and you smog it it is a 2010.

Conversely if you put a 1958 motor in it the truck is a 1966 on the registration and for smog purposes according to the DMV.

Look at the picture of my registration for a 1972 chevy 1/2 ton fleetside shortbed with a 1974 496 engine in it.
Look closely at the month and day of the week when the truck was manufactured.Notice my name is on it this isn't some wild story.

[1977cheyenne_C10]

do i need to have the ac working too?

[LynnJr]

No you don't.

[gramps77]

Originally Posted by 406 Q-ship

I am a past resident of The Peoples Socialist Republic of Kalifornia up to November of last year. There is a lot of bad information being past around in this thread. I did engine swaps in Cali and can tell you there is a lot of incorrect info even from Californians. DO NOT take the truck to a smog only station for they may report you to the DMV opening a whole new kettle of worms that you don't want (read BIG HUGE FINES). Find a person who has access to one of the books that the emission test stations used to know exactly what your truck has to have but only from someone you know that will not report your problem to the DMV. Is there am emission certification sticker under the hood (usually on the upper core support), it will tell you most of the information you will need. That sticker will tell you if your truck was a California certified or Federal certified (pray for Federal). At minimum you will need EGR, A.I.R. (air injection), a certified carb (back to a Q-jet or a Edelbrock), all the vacuum switches and controls, a OEM air cleaner (TAC), and a Catalytic converter (Cali cert only and that kills any long tube headers). This is off the top of my head and there may be even more stuff.

For the one who posted this picture, consider yourself REALLY lucky. You should fail the visual test.....no EGR.

[URL=http://s992.photobucket.com/user/zadam/media/photo2_zps4dca0c1a.jpg.html]

You sir, are adding to the bad info being passed around......I dont need EGR or catalytic converter. In fact, the place Ive taken my truck to has just such a guy with "that manual" that at first thought I needed both mentioned items. When he checked my pillar sticker and saw that it was indeed LEGALLY a heavy half ton, I was in the other category not needing said items. I have a glass pack and some 2.5 inch single exhaust from the collector behind the manifolds all the way back. Ive smogged it 3 times now. Only had the one issue with the stove pipe. I ended up moving the open filter element to my Nova and just leave the original filter on the truck now. Ive been inclined to register over in my uncles county where they DONT DO SMOG. He lives in Valley Springs and they havent had to smog since they moved there. See here, he is in Calaveras county not required there. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm

[1977cheyenne_C10]

ok guys since i got all confused now what are the parts that i need for my truck to pass the smog

[LynnJr]

As I already said you can take it down to any smog check facility and ask or you can call the B.A.R. and ask them.http://www.bar.ca.gov/70_SiteWideInfo/index.html
Have you vehicle I.D. number written down and a piece of paper you can write the list of parts on.
I would look for a smog shop that isn't crowded with cars and walk in and ask.Tell them the year and model and ask what it needs.If they can't help you they should be able to tell you were to look.

[1977cheyenne_C10]

can the dmv know if you have a different engine year model ?

[LynnJr]

When you go to smog your truck they will look at the numbers on the front of the block just above were the water pump bolts on.If they don't match your VIN they look the numbers up and you smog to the newest part the engine or the truck.

[charlieatthedisco]

Does anyone know what the hell the RIGHT egr valve is for a 78 california chevy??? Got one from autozone and its ****, I type in the OEM part number and it claims its one for a g20 which is a chevy van from the time...ridiculous...HELP!

[78trk]

My chevy repair manual for 78 350 EGR lists #17056730 for auto trans
#17056494 for manual trans

[charlieatthedisco]

Thanks for the reply, the problem with the OEM part number is that all the websites claim this part number is not compatible with my truck...weird.

[1977cheyenne_C10]

ok guys im back again to ask more dumb questions. ive been looking around craiglist and i have found cheaper suburbans than c20s would it be easier to get a suburban from year 1986-91 and swap the tbi engine and go to a smog shop and just smog it or would there be a problem?

[Skunksmash]

I once knew a guy that had some kind of printer that could print onto that stick on plastic. Like they use for the no smoking signs they stick to glass. You can probably guess what he did...

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Originally Posted by 1977cheyenne_C10

ok guys im back again to ask more dumb questions. ive been looking around craiglist and i have found cheaper suburbans than c20s would it be easier to get a suburban from year 1986-91 and swap the tbi engine and go to a smog shop and just smog it or would there be a problem?

Yes a suburban is the same chassis consideration it will work. You'll have to have to taken to the BAR to get re-smogged as an lets say 87 TBI.

If your going that far have you considered going to 95-98 to get the Vortec engine?

Also when I said get a C20 I meant pre-smog so it would be easier on yourself. At least the way I look at it.

[1977cheyenne_C10]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

Yes a suburban is the same chassis consideration it will work. You'll have to have to taken to the BAR to get re-smogged as an lets say 87 TBI.

If your going that far have you considered going to 95-98 to get the Vortec engine?

Also when I said get a C20 I meant pre-smog so it would be easier on yourself. At least the way I look at it.

cant i just take it to a smog shop and smog it like that without taking it to BAR?

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

They may let it slide, but for it to be %100 it needs to be done

[1977cheyenne_C10]

ok heres another question if my engine came lets say from 89 car or truck can i just go to the junk yard and find the smog components from a 76-79 truck and install it to the current engine i have or does the whole engine has to be from the same year of the truck?

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Yes the smog has to match the year of the truck. The smog guys do not check engine #'s if you are smogging 350, and a sbc is there they are not going to dig any further.

[LynnJr]

When you take it in if it looks like the original engine you could conceivably get away with anything.
With as TBI engine the smog shop would take 1 look then open the door and look for the aluminum sticker in the door jam.
The aluminum sticker lets the smog shop know what you must smog the truck to in order to be compliant.
My 1972 chevy had a 1974 454 engine in it instead of the 350 so the title says my 1972 is a 1974.

In your case I would have simply went to one of the pull it yourself wreckers and simply got everything you needed including the bolts,brackets and lines.

[1977cheyenne_C10]

ok guys since the engine in my truck is from a 96+ truck that means i cant put smog parts from a 1977 truck right?

[LynnJr]

You will have to smog it to 1996 truck specs or you can try and register it in another city that isn't required to do all the smog stuff.
You would need a P.O.Box and you would need to change your drivers license as well.
In that case you might get away with the earlier specs.
I live in the nine bay area counties near San Francisco but my vehicles are registered in another county so I don't have the same smog as those living and registering inside the nine bay area counties.
That is good for my smog but I can't sell my vehicles as clunkers and get the $500 from the state.

[1977cheyenne_C10]

Originally Posted by LynnJr

You will have to smog it to 1996 truck specs or you can try and register it in another city that isn't required to do all the smog stuff.
You would need a P.O.Box and you would need to change your drivers license as well.
In that case you might get away with the earlier specs.
I live in the nine bay area counties near San Francisco but my vehicles are registered in another county so I don't have the same smog as those living and registering inside the nine bay area counties.
That is good for my smog but I can't sell my vehicles as clunkers and get the $500 from the state.

man i hate California.do you know where can i find the counties that dont required the smog? thank god i didn't buy the smog pump of a 77 engine from the junk yard instead i got a tailgate panel trim in mint condition.

[clapage6]

Originally Posted by 1977cheyenne_C10

man i hate California.do you know where can i find the counties that dont required the smog? thank god i didn't buy the smog pump of a 77 engine from the junk yard instead i got a tailgate panel trim in mint condition.

I know there are some cities in the imperial county that don't require smog but I don't remember which ones exactly... I'm sure you could do a google search on it though and get your answer pretty fast. and IMO is your best option. especially with the online renewals you could almost never pick up your registration paperwork :-p

[cool68]

very very careful making statements on an open forum like this. there are law enforcement guys that like old trucks too. bottom line, meet the smog requirements for the County that you live in. as stated above, the proper parts are available with not that high of cost. when you get to it you will need a good stock smog carburetor. have a new catalytic converter installed , do not try a used one. there are performance ones available. the idea of installing all required smog stuff for smog check and then removing it might happen once. but, remembering what went where and where all of the parts are every other year it is not worth it. get it functioning, or take loss and sell it as a parts truck. as "they" say, buyer beware.

[InitialBoss]

Originally Posted by 1977cheyenne_C10

man i hate California.do you know where can i find the counties that dont required the smog? thank god i didn't buy the smog pump of a 77 engine from the junk yard instead i got a tailgate panel trim in mint condition.

My '78 passed smog after sitting non-op for 4 years. The mechanic had to do some vacuum line fixing, etc. but it passed. I can take a few pics of the engine compartment for you. I have an inline 6 though so not sure if it'll help you.