1967 L88 - Corvette News (v10-3)

[Duke W.]

Hi Duke,

FYI - EPA was not created until December of 1970...

I don't know (or recall) what legislation would have ruled

You are correct, but some US gov't agency created the emission standards that went into effect for states other than CA for 1968, but I don't recall which one, either.

CA tailpipe emission standards beginning in '66 were established by the CA Air Resources Board or whatever name it went by back then.

Duke

[Gary C.]

When I picked up my brand new '61 early 409 upon return from Southeast Asia, the mechanics and myself were all of the California emissions required PCV valve. LOL

IIRC there was a U.S. Clean Air law passed in 1966.

Gary
....

[Mark F.]

Hi Duke and Gary,

Having done some environmental air work myself, I was surprised to learn the 1^st law regarding air pollution goes all the way back to 1955!

Here are excerpts of what EPA has on the history and Evolution of the Clean Air Act (and its predecessors):

• The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 was the first federal legislation involving air pollution. This Act provided funds for federal research in air pollution.
• The Clean Air Act of 1963 was the first federal legislation regarding air pollution control. It established a federal program within the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and authorized research into techniques for monitoring and controlling air pollution.
• In 1967, the Air Quality Act was enacted in order to expand federal government activities. In accordance with this law, enforcement proceedings were initiated in areas subject to interstate air pollution transport. As part of these proceedings, the federal government for the first time conducted extensive ambient monitoring studies and stationary source inspections. The Air Quality Act of 1967 also authorized expanded studies of air pollutant emission inventories, ambient monitoring techniques, and control techniques.
• The Clean Air Act (CAA) was passed in 1970, with major revisions in 1977 and 1990. The CAA was the first environmental law to give the federal government a significant regulatory role in the United States.

Evolution of the Clean Air Act
https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/evolution-clean-air-act#:~:text=The%20Clean%20Air%20Act%20of,monitorin g%20and%20controlling%20air%20pollution.

...and right in my back yard here in Pittsburgh, the Donora, PA smog incident of 1948 got the USPHS thinking more about air pollution...not to mention photos I've seen of Pittsburgh downtown with street lights on at noon ! The steel industry here was dirty ...pretty much all gone now

[Jack M.]

It neglected to include the fact that it was not legal to register in all 50 states due to the lack of a PCV system. I'm surprised Chevrolet did not mention that. GM could have been liable for substantial fines if the EPA found out. Of course, with only 20 built it flew under the radar. I don't know if any '67 L-88 were ever registered for road use in any states any states.

Duke

I'm not knowledgeable enough on that specific topic... so at this point, I can only speculate.
If you recall, I once found some documentation that allowed the 1966 L72 to bypass K19 requirements in CA.
Perhaps there was a federal 'loophole' for limited production L88 engines... something else to possibly research.
As I seriously doubt that the bean counters and lawyers at GM, would blatantly circumvent any federal regulations.

[Duke W.]

If you recall, I once found some documentation that allowed the 1966 L72 to bypass K19 requirements in CA.

No, I don't recall, Jack. Can you post said documentation?

Duke

[Jack M.]

No, I don't recall, Jack. Can you post said documentation?

Duke

From a K19 discussion in 2023... I displayed a relevant NY Times article: CLICK HERE

[Duke W.]

New York Times article...??????

That thread was only a little less that two years ago, and I was a participant. All I can say is the short term memory goes first.

I take it that the excerpt comes from Sueed's Finger Tip Facts for 1967 that is a reprint of information sent to dealers? (I have the version for 1963.)

If so then it's probably the real deal, but I just wonder how the L-72 was exempted from tail pipe emission standards by California authorities, but at this point I doubt if we will ever know why.

Duke

[Jack M.]

The C2 Finger-Tip Facts (FTF) books that I've purchased, were those used by Chevrolet dealers.
Each year typically had an individual/unique single color theme... herez the GM book from 1963:
1963-FTF.jpg
(starting in 1964, dealer FTF books were twice as large, and they had a shared Bowtie binder)

As for the L72, the Times article indicated the auto makers asked for an exemption... seemz it was granted.