It used to be that you could not install an engine older than the car but you could install one the same year as the car (with all the correct emission equipment) or a newer engine that also has all the emission equipment that was installed on the vehicle year that it came from. For example, a "Magnum" 360 might be legal if I used the EFI and catalytic converters.
I'm not sure if the guidelines still allow the newer engines. If that were the case, you'd still need to source catalytic converters which cannot legally be sold from a junkyard, you'd have to do a private party deal or buy new ones.
Regardless, the 1976 and newer cars are required to pass emission standards it had to meet when they were new.
There is a bill that was proposed to move that 1976 number to a rolling 35 year exemption, meaning currently a 1991 and newer car would be required to be tested and cars built for the 1990 model year and before would be exempt. If this were to become law, every 1976 year model car will go up in value by some amount.
This Dart of mine is pretty solid. It would make a great builder. It needs some minor work but is far more solid that what anyone back east comes across.
