C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

1975 smog pump

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 13, 2016 | 07:43 PM
  #1  
409/409's Avatar
409/409
Thread Starter
Pro
 
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 633
Likes: 36
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Default 1975 smog pump

In 1975, were L-82's exempt from smog pumps and catalytic converters except California cars?
Thanks.
Reply
Old Jun 14, 2016 | 10:24 AM
  #2  
409/409's Avatar
409/409
Thread Starter
Pro
 
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 633
Likes: 36
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Default

Originally Posted by 409/409
In 1975, were L-82's exempt from smog pumps and catalytic converters except California cars?
Thanks.
Anyone???
Reply
Old Jun 14, 2016 | 10:45 AM
  #3  
Easy Mike's Avatar
Easy Mike
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Default

All 75s had the catcon. The L-82 probably had AIR. The L-82 may not have been available in California for 75.
Reply
Old Jun 14, 2016 | 01:06 PM
  #4  
Tooch1's Avatar
Tooch1
Burning Brakes
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 520
From: McClellandtown, Pa.
Default

Originally Posted by Easy Mike
All 75s had the catcon. The L-82 probably had AIR. The L-82 may not have been available in California for 75.
There has been some confusion over this. NCRS Judging Guides and other restoration manuals say that all 74-77's came with the AIR system except the L48's with the automatic tranny. Yet, some NCRS gurus are positive all 75's came with A.I.R system. All 75's did come with the CAT.Converter.
At least I hope this answers your question about the L82. Yes it should have a smog system on it.
If you google the question, you'll be able to read some of the NCRS forum responses on this topic.
Regards,
Jim

Last edited by Tooch1; Jun 14, 2016 at 01:08 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 14, 2016 | 01:13 PM
  #5  
530planeman's Avatar
530planeman
Drifting
 
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 140
From: Sadieville Kentucky
Default

Originally Posted by 409/409
In 1975, were L-82's exempt from smog pumps and catalytic converters except California cars?
Thanks.
I had a 75 all original with L48 it had A.I.R and cat was an automatic coming down a long down grade you could smell the passenger carpet melting
Wes
Reply
Old Jun 14, 2016 | 06:23 PM
  #6  
gbvette62's Avatar
gbvette62
Race Director
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,658
Likes: 3,117
From: Shamong, NJ
Default

Starting in 1975, every new car sold in the US, came with a catalytic converter. The use of A.I.R. pumps, varied by make, model and engine.

75 L-82 Corvettes came with both a cat and an A.I.R. pump. In fact, the 75 sales brochure has an illustration in it, showing an L-82 engine with the A.I.R. pump installed on it.

Originally Posted by Easy Mike
All 75s had the catcon. The L-82 probably had AIR. The L-82 may not have been available in California for 75.
There were no restrictions on engine options for California in 75. This was likely because the cat cleaned the exhaust enough, that the L-82 still met California's stricter emission levels. 75 was the last year that the L-82 was available in California.
Reply
Old Jun 20, 2022 | 08:35 PM
  #7  
jdenn47's Avatar
jdenn47
Instructor
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 115
Likes: 2
From: Kissimmee, FL
Default

Is there any reason that you should not remove the A.I.R. pump?
My 75 has one. L48
Reply
Old Jun 20, 2022 | 09:11 PM
  #8  
derekderek's Avatar
derekderek
Race Director
 
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
Default

since you are in PA, maybe. you are one of the few that get emissions inspected on 75's. do not ditch your cat! true duals with aftermarket cats of maybe scare up 2 OE cats from a caravan or similar may improve performance while also improving emissions.













oe 75 cat is trash. expensive scrap value but jnk.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-7

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Jun 21, 2022 | 09:45 PM
  #9  
Mod75's Avatar
Mod75
Race Director
15 Year Member
Veteran: Army
Community Builder
Liked
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,670
Likes: 695
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Default

My early 75 L48 had AIR pump and cat, yes that's all gone.
Reply
Old Jun 22, 2022 | 11:07 PM
  #10  
grady white's Avatar
grady white
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 805
Likes: 260
Default

Originally Posted by 409/409
Anyone???
75 first year of the cat .. L48 and L82 California still does smog test to this day and you must have all pollution pumps and heat riser on the car . Figures 🤣
Reply
Old Jun 23, 2022 | 12:02 PM
  #11  
carriljc's Avatar
carriljc
Le Mans Master
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,722
Likes: 1,377
Default

SMOG TEST NOT TRUE FOR 1975.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicl...g-inspections/

Your vehicledoes not need a smog inspection if your:

Gasoline-powered vehicle is a 1975 year model or older (This includes motorcycles and trailers.) Diesel-powered vehicle is a 1997 and older year model OR with a Gross Vehicle Weight of more than 14,000 pounds.


Originally Posted by grady white
75 first year of the cat .. L48 and L82 California still does smog test to this day and you must have all pollution pumps and heat riser on the car . Figures 🤣

Last edited by carriljc; Jun 23, 2022 at 12:54 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 24, 2022 | 05:58 PM
  #12  
jdenn47's Avatar
jdenn47
Instructor
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 115
Likes: 2
From: Kissimmee, FL
Default

Originally Posted by Mod75
My early 75 L48 had AIR pump and cat, yes that's all gone.
Can you remove it without any issues and does it rob HP?
Reply
Old Jun 25, 2022 | 06:26 AM
  #13  
Mr D.'s Avatar
Mr D.
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime Gold
20 Year Member
Veteran: Navy
Community Builder
Liked
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,642
Likes: 1,827
From: Huntsville AL
Default

Originally Posted by jdenn47
Can you remove it without any issues and does it rob HP?
If you have a working AIR system than leave it alone, the HP required to turn the pump is N/A as you the driver would not notice any performance difference with it on or off the car.
Reply
Old Jun 26, 2022 | 08:35 PM
  #14  
Paul Borowski's Avatar
Paul Borowski
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime Gold
25 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,453
Likes: 461
From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Default

...I believe EVERY '75 Corvette came with an A.I.R. pump, but many have argued that they have low mileage original cars and their's never came with one blah, blah, blah. 1975 & 1976 Corvettes were the easiest to make look like it never had a smog pump as it DID NOT have the typical A.I.R. exhaust manifold "trees". '75 & '76 had a single rubber hose coming off of the smog pump to a pipe connection just below the heat riser. So it was easy to make it look like it never had a smog pump once you removed it. They used exhaust manifolds exactly like a '74 L-48 automatic Federal Emission car which never, ever came with a smog pump so the exhaust manifolds won't have a place where the A.I.R. trees attached to. I've looked at a ton of 1975 Corvettes and if it wasn't all "redone or modified" and mostly original or survivorish, I could tell there once was an A.I.R. pump on it. The NCRS Guidelines "used" to say that "maybe" some did not come with an A.I.R. pump. In the last year or two, it has been revised to say ALL 1975 Corvettes came with an A.I.R. pump. On all the cars I looked at, it was plain as day on the emission sticker that says "EFE, AIR, EGR, OC EXHAUST". Right there says it all.
Reply
Old Jun 29, 2022 | 09:04 AM
  #15  
grady white's Avatar
grady white
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 805
Likes: 260
Default

Originally Posted by Paul Borowski
...I believe EVERY '75 Corvette came with an A.I.R. pump, but many have argued that they have low mileage original cars and their's never came with one blah, blah, blah. 1975 & 1976 Corvettes were the easiest to make look like it never had a smog pump as it DID NOT have the typical A.I.R. exhaust manifold "trees". '75 & '76 had a single rubber hose coming off of the smog pump to a pipe connection just below the heat riser. So it was easy to make it look like it never had a smog pump once you removed it. They used exhaust manifolds exactly like a '74 L-48 automatic Federal Emission car which never, ever came with a smog pump so the exhaust manifolds won't have a place where the A.I.R. trees attached to. I've looked at a ton of 1975 Corvettes and if it wasn't all "redone or modified" and mostly original or survivorish, I could tell there once was an A.I.R. pump on it. The NCRS Guidelines "used" to say that "maybe" some did not come with an A.I.R. pump. In the last year or two, it has been revised to say ALL 1975 Corvettes came with an A.I.R. pump. On all the cars I looked at, it was plain as day on the emission sticker that says "EFE, AIR, EGR, OC EXHAUST". Right there says it all.
ALL 75’s came with air pumps etc …this is my unmolested all original 75 with 10k on her


Reply
Old Jun 29, 2022 | 06:40 PM
  #16  
kdf1986's Avatar
kdf1986
Safety Car
20 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
Default

Hello
I am joining in on this also to confirm that my 75 L82 has the A.I.R. pump and a catalytic converter installed.
kdf
Reply
Old Jul 4, 2022 | 08:06 PM
  #17  
jdenn47's Avatar
jdenn47
Instructor
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 115
Likes: 2
From: Kissimmee, FL
Default 75 AIR pump

Originally Posted by Mod75
My early 75 L48 had AIR pump and cat, yes that's all gone.
What steps do you need to do to remove the AIR pump? Does it rob HP on a L48?
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To 1975 smog pump





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:35 PM.

story-0
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-2
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE