1975 or 1976? CA Smog issues.

[rucr8tive]

I have a question for the experts.

I own a 1976 Bronco as the title reads, however it was manufactured in October of 1975. (The sticker on the door jam has the date 11/75.) While this discrepancy might sound trivial, vehicles in California made in 1976 must pass smog.

My VIN is: U15GLA57028
I'm currently registered in Oregon till November of 2021. Passed VIN inspection there.
I have purchased 90% of all the smog and an engine from 1975.
My VIN does not appear on the CA DMV search.
I currently have a 1970's era 351w installed.

So, what are the sages advice? Can I register my 1976 is a 1975?
Do I need to rip out my 351W and install my 302 with the emissions?
Or do I sell and look for an older Bronco. (FWIW, if you want to trade let me know, my bronco has no rust, a 6" lift, new 35" tires, paint that is new but not great, a family cage, tons of other stuff. This is my passion project. I have a 3 speed but originally it was a C4. I have more invested than its worth.

Here is a link: http://vinwiz.com/1961-1980fordtruck.php?vin=U15GLA57028

Thanks all!

Jim

 

[tirewater]

Your bronco has been in CA as a '76:

https://www.bar.ca.gov/pubwebquery/vehicle/pubtstqry.aspx

 

[jamesroney]

I don’t know Why you think that vehicles made in 1976 need to be smogged? The text of AB-2683 states that vehicles of model year 1975 and older are exempt from inspection. It doesn’t matter when that car was assembled. The DMV is going to require smog based on the model year. So that Bronco will require smog in CA.

Can you fix your link above? It just shows a vin decoder.

 

[SteveL]

Theres the chance you can bolt the smog equipment on the 351w and play dumb. It looks similar enough to the 302 the guy might just look for the smog stuff and call it good

 

[Rustytruck]

You need to get a set of stock valve covers with the emissions sticker. Hopefully a 49 state emission package.

 

[DirtDonk]

Don't have advice at this point, but basically they're all confirming to you that your vehicle IS in fact a '76. Most years, most manufacturer's will start tooling up and building the next model year vehicle in approx. August of the year before. It's not etched in stone, and they can and do build vehicles of the previous model year right up to December. But generally they want the next year model up and in the showrooms long before the end of the year so they can get a jump on the new stuff.

It's just how it's been for as long as anyone remembers, and is how it is.
There are DMV mistakes of course, and we've seen plenty of mis-year'd Broncos, but that was a transfer-of-title or direct DMV mistake because the model year is what the manufacturer says it is. And if Ford said your November '75 build truck was to be sold and registered as a '76, then that's what it is.

Because the VIN is too short by modern standards, that's probably why online VIN services such as with the different states might not work.
Since it's already registered as a '76 in Oregon, that's what CA is going to go by too.

I guess I do have advice after all. As was said, leave the 351 in it, put as much of the actual smog stuff as you have on the engine, see if you can find what is missing for '76 and at least attempt to get it, and give it a shot.
They can only say no, but you might be surprised. Where it might show up though is in the sniffer test with the 351 automatically putting out more than a 302 I would suppose? Others will know if that's a big enough deal to always show up on a sniffer or not.
I like the idea about the stock valve cover with sticker too!

As for basics though, if the Bronco was originally sold outside of CA it will only need to meet the FED standards, but that will include a catalytic converter, single exhaust, 2bbl carb, very likely an air pump, a fully enclosed air cleaner housing with cold air intake (does not have to be stock, but it does have to be sealed, so no open element types allowed) and a few things like that. You can run headers if they are CARB approved, aftermarket ignition (again, helps to be CARB approved) with vacuum advance connected properly.
Might even get away with dual exhaust some of the time, but that's pushing it probably.

If you have a cam in that 351 though, you might be out of luck in the sniffer test.
If you have to go to a referee station to show you at least tried to find and install all the available smog stuff, that's when they're even more likely to find out it's a 351 because they're going to be more attentive and may be more knowledgeable about such stuff too.

Best of luck!

Paul

 

[suckerpunched]

If you are inclined at all to do an EFI swap. Now would be a good time. I think you would be better off in the long run. Smog referee can OK it and tag it. but they do require you to use all the emissions components that the donor vehicle would have had. No matter how you do it, it's a PITA.

 

[SteveL]

Back when I needed smog checks i knew some of the more flexible smog guys. They said the biggest part of passing is the visual or pretest. As long as they push in stock to the pretest questions the sniffer parameters were pretty wide. If the punch in modified to any of the pretest questions it raises the sniffer standards so high it's pretty much an automatic fail.

 

[EPB72]

What sucker punch said.. get Efi early 90’s and try referee route smog as doner. or go back to 302 and all original smog equipment .... trying the 351 with 76 smog equip is crap shoot but may work ... I’ve had a smog license since 88’ and I’d notice the difference right away...my local star directed station the tech would notice as well...

 

[EPB72]

Back when I needed smog checks i knew some of the more flexible smog guys. They said the biggest part of passing is the visual or pretest. As long as they push in stock to the pretest questions the sniffer parameters were pretty wide. If the punch in modified to any of the pretest questions it raises the sniffer standards so high it's pretty much an automatic fail.

The standards are set per vehicle that is entered in the TAS . Only difference in standards maybe if. it’s Cal or Fed iEmissions which if has no emissions decal the tech may enter as federal..

 

[74bronc]

I have actually done this before. When I moved from Utah to California, my 74 had a 351w in it. At that time, the rolling exemption hadn’t made it to 74 yet, so I had to smog......1 time. I took the Edelbrock manifold and 4bbl carb off and put a stock manifold and 2bbl carb on with egr. No air pump required. Had stock manifolds at that time but also dual exhaust. Had to put a stock air cleaner assembly on as well. Took it to a random local smog place in poway, ca and it passed easily. Only someone who is well versed in small block fords can tell the difference between a 302 and 351w.

 

[welndmn]

It seems like a 1976 to me as well based on the VIN, BUT that does not mean it's worth trying.
I'd work with the Oregon DMV and tell you fell if was resisted as a 76 and it should be a 75.
If they change it, it will flow to CA as a 1975.
CA DMV will not care and will not help you.

 

[navi]

I just worked through a dmv registration nightmare successfully, but it was a bad title, not a smog issue. The company that I paid to deal with the CA dmv are the ones that figured it out.
By using a misc. vin form for the frame vin I was able to have a bad glovebox title ignored/deleted and got a new title.
Maybe they know some tricks for smog as well. I can send you the info if you want.

 

[reamer]

Makes me smile a bit I have Frame numbers matching the Glove box door numbers and a clean NY title with, oh yes, ...matching numbers! and the "Bronco in a box" from Wild Horses will be delivered tomorrow...... (and CT has not emission tests for 20 years and older vehicles) But the best of luck to you.....