Non Corvette assembly plant question

[Keith B.]

This question is for cars built in the Ca assembly plants like Fremont or any other plant doing the mid 60's. at that time did all cars built get the K-19 smog regardless of the selling dealer if it was out of state. Or did all engines shipped to that plant have the K-19 smog exhaust manifolds installed. and for cars being shipped out of state did the line workers just plug the holes in the manifolds.

[Michael M.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

I worked at the Fremont Plant from '65 to '82, many of those years on the passenger engine line. In the mid '60's, only cars to be delivered in CA got K19 (Air Injector Reactor) equipment (before emission requirements became uniform for all 50 states). There were specific engine codes for K19 and those were the only engines that came from the engine plants with drilled exhaust manifolds. The manifolds came drilled with plugs in them that had to be removed for installation of the manifold air pipes. Engines for cars going out of state came with undrilled manifolds.

Now did a non-CA car ever go out the door with plugged manifolds - possibly, but not on a regular basis.

[Keith B.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

thanks and that is what I thought but anther member on anther forum was trying to tell me different

[Duke W.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

California first adopted tailpipe emission standards for the 1966 MY. The first federal tailpipe standards went into effect for the 1968 model year and in that era the CA standards were tougher than federal, so cars destined for delivery in CA regardless of where the final assembly plant was usually got a different engine/emission control configuration.

If AIR was part of either CA or federal emissions, the manifolds would have had ports for the air tubes. If AIR was not required there may have been bosses on the manifolds but they were not drilled and tapped. So if AIR was part of the CA configuration, but not 49-state, the CA engine got manifolds machined for the air tubes. The 49-state version may or may not have had exhaust manifolds with air tube bosses, and if so, they were not drilled and tapped. Thus AIR/non-AIR engines had different engine plant assembly codes.

Often CA and federal cars got differently calibrated distributors and carburetors.

Having to develop different configurations for CA and federal emissions kept the engineers up late and was a real burden. That's why many CA bound cars had limited engine/transmission/axle options. There were years that Corvettes were not available in CA with manual transmissions (It's easier to get an automatic through the certification test.). For the 1980 model year CA Corvettes were only available with a 305 CID engine that was shared with other GM models, TH400 and a 3.07 axle - no other engine, trans, or axle options.

By about the mid-nineties CA and federal standards were sufficiently close that there was often no difference in the actual engine and emission control systems, but, to this day, if you order a new Corvette for delivery in CA you have to chose the appropriate emission control option, but now it's just a matter of labels and paperwork as there is no difference between CA and 49-state configurations.

I was a production engineer with Pontiac in 1968 and was engineering liaison to the Van Nuys F-body plant for the'69 Firebird pilot line build in the summer before I left to go to grad school at the U. of Wisconsin Engine Research Center within the ME Department.

Duke

[Gerald C.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

I have a 1966 with plugged manifolds. The car was built in Freemont and was sold by Jack Head Chevrolet in Alhambra. So I assume it was built for a California market. Are there any vendors in California that may have this A.I.R. set-up so that I can bring the car back to its original configuration? I know it won't be cheap!

Thanks

[Michael M.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

Gerald - I assume you're talking about a Chevelle made at Fremont. If memory serves me correctly, depending on the model, available engines were a 6 cyl, 283, 327 and a 396. I believe the small blocks (283 & 327) used the same manifold pipes but the 396 was different. You might want to visit one of the Chevelle websites and specify your engine to see what's available.

[Gerald C.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

Don't all 396's have the same A.I.R. configuration?

[Michael M.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

Don't all 396's have the same A.I.R. configuration?

Don't remember for sure - that was a lot of brain cells ago - but most likely they were the same. If you can find a reference, check the diverter valve, air pump and pulley configurations. There was a 325, 360 and 375HP version.

[Mike M.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

I have a ?66? smog set-up I bought from Nolan Adams in the mid 80's. noland told ne it was from a chevelle 396. I've still got the exhaust manifolds and a few other parts I bought from Nolan. if u are interested in them, let me know what u need. mike

[David M.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

I have a by-the-numbers 68, 442, Z code car (Fremont) early build Sept 67. The only nod to smog is the PCV valve. Which was standard for all states.

[Joe L.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

I have a by-the-numbers 68, 442, Z code car (Fremont) early build Sept 67. The only nod to smog is the PCV valve. Which was standard for all states.

David------


Where was the car originally delivered and is is 4 speed or automatic?

[Joe L.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

This question is for cars built in the Ca assembly plants like Fremont or any other plant doing the mid 60's. at that time did all cars built get the K-19 smog regardless of the selling dealer if it was out of state. Or did all engines shipped to that plant have the K-19 smog exhaust manifolds installed. and for cars being shipped out of state did the line workers just plug the holes in the manifolds.

Keith------


For 1966 and 1967 only Chevrolets destined for California registration, regardless of where built, were equipped with AIR. There were some exceptions including 1966 L-72 equipped Corvettes and full size passenger cars, 1966 Chevelles with L-78, and some Chevy II 4 cylinders. Cars with AIR had the exhaust manifolds with AIR fittings; in the vast majority of cases, cars without AIR did not have manifolds with fittings. I have heard of some 1970 Corvette big blocks without AIR that did come equipped with exhaust manifolds with plugged fittings. But I believe such cases were in the extreme minority.

Beginning with 1968, exhaust emission control was required throughout the country. However, it was not always accomplished with AIR. In general for 1968-69, Chevrolets with automatic transmission used the controlled combustion system (CCS) for exhaust emission control. Chevrolets with manual transmissions used AIR. The only exception I know of to this general rule was Corvette. All 1968-69 Corvettes used AIR, regardless of transmission. It's possible that 1968-69 Chevrolets delivered to California with automatic transmissions also used AIR. I'm not sure of that, though.

For 1970-71, the CCS system was used much more widely across all Chevrolet models. For Corvettes, all 1970-71 models used CCS except LT-1 and LS-6.

Keep in mind that the AIR system was very expensive compared to CCS. However, the AIR system was used on LT-1 and LS-6 because it was much less performance robbing compared to CCS, regardless of what a great many people think. It's also very effective and still in use to this very day.

[Mike E.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

I have a 1966 with plugged manifolds. The car was built in Freemont and was sold by Jack Head Chevrolet in Alhambra. So I assume it was built for a California market. Are there any vendors in California that may have this A.I.R. set-up so that I can bring the car back to its original configuration? I know it won't be cheap!

Thanks

My base motor 67 Corvette convertible was also sold new at Jack Head Chevrolet in Alhambra. Has the AIR system installed, as you would expect.

[Tim G.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

My 9000 mile 69 396/325 horse automatic Chevelle had no smog pump and was delivered to Washington State. It had a single snorkel air cleaner.

[Kevin G.]

Re: Non Corvette assembly plant question

Keith------


For 1966 and 1967 only Chevrolets destined for California registration, regardless of where built, were equipped with AIR. There were some exceptions including 1966 L-72 equipped Corvettes and full size passenger cars, 1966 Chevelles with L-78, and some Chevy II 4 cylinders. Cars with AIR had the exhaust manifolds with AIR fittings; in the vast majority of cases, cars without AIR did not have manifolds with fittings. I have heard of some 1970 Corvette big blocks without AIR that did come equipped with exhaust manifolds with plugged fittings. But I believe such cases were in the extreme minority.

Beginning with 1968, exhaust emission control was required throughout the country. However, it was not always accomplished with AIR. In general for 1968-69, Chevrolets with automatic transmission used the controlled combustion system (CCS) for exhaust emission control. Chevrolets with manual transmissions used AIR. The only exception I know of to this general rule was Corvette. All 1968-69 Corvettes used AIR, regardless of transmission. It's possible that 1968-69 Chevrolets delivered to California with automatic transmissions also used AIR. I'm not sure of that, though.

For 1970-71, the CCS system was used much more widely across all Chevrolet models. For Corvettes, all 1970-71 models used CCS except LT-1 and LS-6.

Keep in mind that the AIR system was very expensive compared to CCS. However, the AIR system was used on LT-1 and LS-6 because it was much less performance robbing compared to CCS, regardless of what a great many people think. It's also very effective and still in use to this very day.

Did you mean to say TCS (70,72), CEC (71)?