Hello all,

I have a recently acquired 89' IROC, 305 TPI, 5 speed car. It failed the Kalifornia smog check with an H/C % that was 150 out of a max allowable of 120. Based on what I've read online, the O2 sensor could be the problem, or an engine temp that is too low. In any case, I've replaced the O2, the plugs, and will do the thermostat this weekend (I think the one in it is too low.. which I know is a good thing for the engine, its just bad for passing the smog).

If the car fails again I plan on doing one of two things... jacking up my insurance and driving it to Mexico for a one-way trip for fireworks and bad beer... or (and the most likely) yanking the engine for one of my other cars.

So, the question is (moreso rhetorically).......... if I pull the engine and put it in, say, a 63' Nova SS, what else will be needed? If this becomes a reality, I plan on having the 305 TPI setup, a power glide or T-350, headers, not cat(s), a real cam, etc. Any similar configurations out there? Just thinking of the PROM/ECM challenges and wiring mess hurts my head... any advice on who to talk to about such a setup?

I really do hate to even consider doing this, but if the commies in Sacramento want to regulate this car off of the road, I'll just reincarnate it and tell the smog boys to KMA.

Thanks in advance!

http://132.239.181.37:8091

 

People do that sort of thing all the time. I even knew of somebody in Temecula that put LT1s in Jaguars and got them through smog.

Try a new cat. $100, a whole lot less work than all the rest of that fooling around. Something like this... http://store.summitracing.com/partde...art=CTO%2D4088

 

If you put it in your nova, you'll have to figure out motor mounts, run pressurized fuel lines with a return line and an electric pump to supply the 40+psi of fuel pressure. Those are your big trouble spots. The rest should be easy. Just swap everything and the wiring.

 

the engine will bolt in without changing the motor mounts... the same style of SBC mount has been used from the first blocks in the 50s to the LT1s...


you might however have to change the oilpan for clearance... i recall reading that thoes novas had rear steering and they needed a diff pan.. athough im not positive.. somthing to check though.


id run new fuel lines just because thoes are old, but just run 2 hard lines, or some SS ones if you have the money and you'll be fine.. no prob. if you put the fittings like your 3rdgens on the end and have them come up on the drivers side, you wont even have to get new soft lines

the "hardest" part is finding the info for the wiring.... unless you just want to buy one of the many books on the subject.

 

Why does he need info for wiring? Just swap the harness over? Give power to where it hooks into the thirdgen console type areas. Most of the wires that go up to the dash are just for the gauges. Easy enough.

I mentioned the motor mounts because I know some nova's came with 6cyl but I have no idea what years!