[DeTomaso] California engine swap exemption question

doug351c doug351c at gmail.com
Sat Dec 18 14:31:04 EST 2010


I have a correction for you.  My 1973 came with an EGR system which I still
have in a box.

Doug Braun
blue 73L 5505

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
[mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of John Buckman
Sent: Friday, December 17, 2010 7:55 PM
To: detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso]   California engine swap exemption question


I'm going to limit this to Fords, but most (if not all) should pertain to
other makes.

There were several factors that were used to determine whether or not a car
was delivered with a smog pump (in California).

1.   The county where the car was sold.  Some California counties did not
require smog checks.
2.   If the manufacturer could not get an engine to pass a smog check , then
a smog pump was added.
3.   The smog pump was an option that could be ordered on some cars.

The Ford era Panteras never had a smog pump.  The worst that it got was an
EGR system in 1974.

Here is some interesting info form the Ford FE Engine Forum Archives:

Thermactor (Ford's smog pump) became mandatory in 1966 on some FE cars sold
in California and New York due to the
progressive automobile pollution control of those states.  The California
and New York engines which required Thermactor
usually had performance cams, such as the 390GT amd 428PI ca,s, as these
cams had a valve overlap large enough to
permit raw fuel to pass straight through to the exhaust without being
burned, and richer-jetted carbs which promoted the
generation of carbon monoxide, creating unsatisfactory emissions levels.
The Thermactor pump injected a tiny amount of
air into the exhaust ports to promote complete combustion of the unburned
fuel, as well as combust carbon monoxide which
results from the rich fuel-air mixture.  Some counties in California
actually required Thermactor on all FE cars sold in 1966
and 1967 due to particularly bad air pollution issues.  When not mandatory,
Thermactor was a $46.00 option available on
every FE sold in the US, and was priced "at cost", not a profit for Ford.
So you would occasionally find Thermactor equipped
FEs in unexpected circumstances, and it would be listed on the window
sticker.

In 1968, the California and New York emissions laws were basically adopted
by the Feds, making Thermactor mandatory
on all performance-cammed FE cars sold in the 50 states.  This is why the
427 inherited the hydraulic cam and Thermactor
for 1968, since it was the only way it would pass emissions, and 500
hydraulic 1968 427s were needed for NASCAR
homologation rules.  Note that 427-4V Fairlanes failed California emissions
laws in 1966 and 1967, but a loophole in the
law exempted twin-carb V-8s from emissions regulations, so 427-8V (dual
quads) Fairlanes were legal for sale in California.
This loophole also applied to 1967 Shelby Mustangs sold in California, which
could run a solid cammed 428 without
emissions controls if twin carbs were part of the package.

John




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