Performance Mods & CA Smog Laws

[79BroncoProject]

HELP! I'm trying to resurrect a '79 Bronco and am having problems figuring out what performance mods, if any, I can do legally here in CA. It has a stock 400 V-8 that runs well.

I know I can do a cam/valvetrain upgrade legally, and I think I can run headers as long as I keep the catalytic converter b/c it doesn't have an O2 sensor, but it looks like I'm stuck with the 2B carb. I can put on a dual plane manifold w/EGR but again, I think I'm stuck w/ the 2B carb.

Any advice or ideas? Are any of these mods worth it if I'm limited to the 2B carb?

Thanks!

 

[bvteachey]

I used a Weiand Performance Plus Intake on my 79, and if i remember correctly there was an smog safe version of the manifold also. I used it to swtch over to a 4bbl. You could check into that on www.holley.com

 

[BRONCADONK]

good luck, it took me almost two years to piece my bronco togather enough to pass smog. i finaly dropped it off at a smog repair shop, and $600 later it passed. only thing is they screwed my carb up and now it runs like poo. one thing i did do was install an edelbrock intake. it's smog legal as long as you use the egr adapter. once you pass you just pull it off and install your 4v carb. i plan on installing the 4v egr adapter and running an oem replacement holly. hopefuly i can slide pass the next smog tech. if not no harm, i'll just swap the old motorcrap back on till it passes again. maybe some day the peoples republic of california will bring back the 30 year rolling smog exemption and we can do all the cool mods we read and dream about. it's more likely that the tree huggers and bush lickers will force us to give up our old friends for boring disposable green cars. i dont know what will go first, our public lands, or our rigs?

 

[78BroncHair]

Do the bare minimum to smog it and then add performance parts. The state doesnt have to know!