Redog

I saw it in JWO! Just a quick picture

How can it be done. I looked under a hood of a 92 CC this past weekend with the stock 350 SBC under the hood. Looks like the steering shaft would be the only problem at least what I could see right away. Probably need a cowl hood too.

I would like to do such a project only I'll use a 350 or 403

The Stickman

The steering shaft should not be any problem. The 90's B-Body wagons use the same chassis as the 77-90 B-Bodies and there have been 455 swaps in them. Sawpping a 350 sbo is pretty easy. You would need the engine and trans, motor mounts. I thing the frame pads for the motor mounts. Now it won't be emmissions legal unless you can add fuel injection and all the other emissions crap. You must have been looking at that clean Custom Cruiser at the BOPC show.

joe_padavano

It won't be emissions legal, PERIOD. There was never a 455 Olds certified to 1991 or 1992 standards. This swap is unfortunately illegal under federal law and also under any state law that requires emissions testing. The general rule of thumb is that you can swap the same year or NEWER motor into a car so long as you also swap all the emissions equipment required to maintain the emissions certification. This swap can only be registered in states that do not have testing (or with the help of some greased palms).

There are a couple of ways to do this swap. As Stick correctly noted, the 307 frame mounts from a B-body allow the 455 to be bolted in using conventional Olds motor mounts. The other option (which is even easier) is to use the 307 block mounts from a 1980-1990 D-body (Caddy Fleetwood). These mounts are like the 403 Trans Am mounts in that they are metal block brackets that mate to the Chevy clamshell style frame mounts.

Redog

Classic plates, no emissions required

I just want to know how it can be done

joe_padavano

Maybe in your state, but not here in VA. Antique Plates require 25+ years old and limit you to 250 miles per year.

Redog

Antique here is also 25, but Classic is 15 and you can drive the car at night

Olds64

Just get some catlytic converters off of a Ford truck in the salvage yard and hollow them out. Then you can have them welded into your exhaust. That will fool most emissions shops. If you have to do a tail pipe test then you are screwed.

joe_padavano

Most states that require biannual testing have computerized machines. The VIN is keyed in and the machine lists the equipment that is required to be in place. The test tech is supposed to verify that all this equipment is installed correctly. Yes, the accuracy of this inspection is a function of the skill of the tech.

J-(Chicago)

Let us all take a minute, and thank Mr. Padavano for NOT being our emissions tech inspector.
50% of us would be off the road if AIR TEAM actually acquired people who knew their stuff.

Allan R

Wow. I can get antique status here with 25+ years and up to 5000 miles/year if I want. Quite a difference between there and here. My antique insurance also covers full insured value and only costs around 135.00 / year. I get appraisals every 2 years to cover my 6 in case there's a change in value.

Just curious, how would you get to any number of car shows in a year if you don't have a trailer for your antique? I would guess that 250 miles would get eaten up really quick.

The Stickman

It's 2500 miles in Pa.

OldsVistaCruiser

Here in PA, classic plates don't stop any kind of inspection. All 1975 & newer cars that aren't registered antique (not to be confused with classic plates) are subject to emissions inspection. Antique plates exempt a car from any inspection.

You can't get an antique plate for those Skywagons until 2016-2017. All good things come to those who wait? ;-)

Bill

Redog

I like those big wagons, but at 4750 lbs it would take a lot of motor to make that thing fast

Also in PA, Stay under 5000 miles a year, no emission testing. My mech also showed me the guidelines for emissions in PA. 1983 and older only have a visual test from emissions. 80's emissions is a joke anyway.

There are 15 or 20 counties that have very strict emissions, Philadelphia (it's own county) and it's suburbs far in those strict ones

OldsVistaCruiser

Yes, you're right about Philly emissions.

I just moved here to Lebanon County (9 miles east of Hershey) from Bucks County, which borders Philadelphia, and I went from Philly dynamometer/sniffer emissions to just getting a visual inspection (to see if all the smog parts appear to be there and hooked up) and gas cap pressure test (plus, my car insurance dropped by 1/3).

Out here, that applies for all 1975-1995 cars (1996 & up get a computer plugged into their OBD-II system). If you head north of me by just one county (Schuylkill), you don't have to have an emission test and they only put one inspection sticker on their cars.

All 1974 and earlier cars statewide, and all diesel vehicles, also get no emissions tests in PA.

Try that 6.2-liter diesel idea I mentioned! You may have a candidate for a veggie diesel conversion as well, the diesel's torque will get that car moving, and you'll still get about 30 mpg. I'm wondering if it can be done to a '91-'92 Custom Cruiser (or even a Buick Roadmaster wagon).

A friend of mine in the Tulsa area, who owns a '68 Vista Cruiser and a bunch of Volkswagens, has already converted some of those VW's to veggie diesel and is interested in doing his Vista. He learned it from our mutual friend in Montreal, who did the diesel conversion to his blacked-out '69 Vista, but the guy in Canada only uses petrodiesel.

On the other hand, for those who live in California, "fuggedaboud it!"

Bill

Redog

When I bought my Delta, I lived in Bucks county and since the Delta only had 128,000 miles (shoulda been 345,000) it was emissions exempt, if it didn't come from another state.

The car had a New York title. It failed emissions, so my mech exempted it because it still cost $800 to pass anyway

Redog

When I bought my Delta, I lived in Bucks county and since the Delta only had 128,000 miles (shoulda been 345,000) it was emissions exempt, if it didn't come from another state.

The car had a New York title. It failed emissions, so my mech exempted it because it still cost $800 to pass anyway

OldsVistaCruiser

According to PA law, you shouldn't have had to pay more than $150 in repairs to get a waiver sticker!

OLD SKL 69

Next year, New York will require safety only inspections for cars 1995 and newer. Basically means that if you wanted to rip all the emissions off, install a different engine, etc, it is no problem as long as the horn, lights, turn signals and brakes work. Don't know if that will change for other states soon or not, but definitely a step in the right direction here.

OldsVistaCruiser

Not here in Pennsylvania! When I was a kid, we had twice-a-year safety inspection, and at one time, as long as the car had modern license plates on it, it required emissions inspection. They moved it up to 1975 as that was the first year for catalytic converters. Pennsylvania adopted California emission standards for new cars a few years ago to keep up with New York!

On the other hand, New Jersey just eliminated safety inspection.

Bill

OldsVistaCruiser

Oh, I forgot - PA has a very stringent inspection procedure. A good guideline for keeping your Olds in top condition can be found here - it's the official PA auto safety inspection procedure:

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/06...5/s175.80.html

Bill

oldsfromyell

Man I am glad I live in the state that I am in. We don't have safety inspections or any emmisions tests on any vehicle. Our antique plates are for 25 + years and do have a mileage restriction of 5000 miles if memory serves. Sometimes it is not bad living in the impoverished state of Arkansas. LOL

OldsVistaCruiser

PA's antique plates are the same way, 25 + years, but there is no actual mileage restriction. The application reads, "The use of antique, classic and collectibleplates is governed by Section 1340 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code which states: 'It is unlawful for any person to operate a motorcycle or vehicle with antique, classic or collectible registration plates for general daily transportation. Permitted use shall be limited to participation in
club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, occasional transportation and similar uses.' Occasional transportation and similar uses is defined
as one day a week."

OldsfromYell - does that mean the AR county made famous in the movie, "True Grit" (the remake is due out this month), as the home of Mattie Ross, the girl who hires Rooster Cogburn? She constantly referred to Dardanelle in Yell County.

If you are, I see you're bordered by Montgomery and Perry Counties. Where I live isn't far from our Perry County, and I grew up in PA's Montgomery County. My uncle lives in Peel, AR, not far from Lead Hill, along the Missouri border. He's retired from the design department at Oldsmobile, where he worked with the wood and clay mockups in Lansing from the late 1950s to the 1990s. Yes, he helped with the original design of our A-bodies!

Bill
Fill your hand, you S.O.B.! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKThgLq21Rc (the scene from True Grit where that line appears)

lshlsh2

MD-Historic tags no inspection of any kind( IE brakes,lights anything) no mileage restrictions. 25 years old
Larry

oldsfromyell

Yep I live in Yell County near Dardanelle. So yes I am smack dab in the middle of Cracker country. LOL Oh by the way they are making a new True Grit movie and I think Jeff Bridges is going to play Rooster

WMACHINES

My buddy Mike Hall races a 87 Custom Cruiser here in Michigan. http://home.comcast.net/~wmachines/SR2/85a_wagon.jpg runs 13's
Also here in the Motor City, there is now emission tests of any kind on any vehicle. There is also no safety inspections. Antique plates are for vehicles 20 years and older. they cost 35.00 for every 10 years. I have period correct 72 plates on my car. They never expire. Milage is limited to 7500 miles a year. I maybe get about 2500. Where they get us is in insurance costs. I pay 250.00 a year for 30,000 .00 coverage from Haggarety. Also in Michigan our trailer plates do not expire. One time costs. 2499lbs and less 75.00 2500 to 4999 lbx is 150.00 and above 5000lbs is 300.00 We also do not need notery for title transfers like in Ohio. We just go to the Secretary of State with title signed and get a new one. No hassles.
regards