I know its illegal to swap an older engine into a newer car, but you see people that do it everyday. I see it locally and alot on this site. So how big are the laws on doing this? I dont live in a emissions state, and dont intend to honestly. Does the law really care or is it just a law that no one upholds? Im just really curious.

Right now I have an 87 trans am with the original block, buts it built with forged pistons ect, I want a different car, but would hate to give the engine up. Ive been thinking of either swapping the engine in a C4 corvette or doing a project such as swapping the engine in an 03-06 Silverado. You can find a standard cab SWB truck pretty cheap with the 4.3. Would swap my engine and t56 in and would have something beautiful, but of course the corvette wouldnt be bad either!

So whats the general concensus on this?

 

When it's a SBC -> SBC swap, it's no big deal. Everything interchanges well enough, and emissions is all external stuff and cam, not bore and stroke and valve sizes.
Trying to put a SBC in a truck built with a 4.8 or 5.3 is just dumb, don't even think it. Replacing a Vortec 4.3 with a Vortec 350 is pretty common, and very easy. But trying to put an older SBC in place of a Vortec 4.3 is a whole different story.
Older engines are cheaper, but new engines are far better. And while the older junk starts out cheaper, it's usually false economy, because of all the other expenses that arise to get it working acceptably.
If you can't afford to do it right the first time, you sure can't afford to do it a second time. Better to just put up with going slow in an inconvenient vehicle for a while longer while saving more funds. Heck, better to ride the bus, or bicycle in the weather, than take false-economy approaches. Been there, done that.

 

Here in Florida its not big deal. People put any engine into any car and drive it. My neighbor has a hand made dune buggy he drives on the street all the time. I've seen a 8 second blown BBC 68 camaro with the blower out the hood driving around downtown on a friday night. Also saw him going to Wendy's at midnight in it

However, if I had a newer Silverado I would leave the motor alone. One build I would like to do one day is a built up small block in a little Datsun 240 or something like it.

 

this is where i got the idea from a few months ago:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs77Udu3bns

to atilla:

trust me, my car isnt slow! lol

Also I see I didnt already meantion it, but I already have a built forged 383 making close to 500 hp and a t56 thats in great shape, but would rebuild before swapping!