# PBS Show - American Experience : War on Smog **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953 "2025-08-28T01:11:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/21 "2025-09-01T12:28:52Z")
> [@davesmopar](#): > > My buddy drug a 1984(?) out of a field a few years back and towed it to my house so I could help him bring it back to life All I can say is why? Was it given to him and he thinks he can sell it for a profit? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/22 "2025-09-01T14:20:12Z")
> [@Purebred](#): > > All I can say is why? Was it given to him and he thinks he can sell it for a profit? It is a Toy to play around with, older Honda’s are VERY popular with some tuner crowds… Add HP to a very light car for not much money and you can make it much faster, it is all about power to weight ratio, not everyone likes a flathead vehicle… Me, I am not into the tuner thing, but hot rodding is hot rodding!! It has also been fun having to fab stuff to make things like a 4 door gas tank fit the 2 door hatch that nobody makes anymore… Anybody can drive a checkbook vehicle, not everybody can build one with their own hands… He also has a S10 4x4 he is wanting me to (help cough cough) build up at some point in time, his DD is a Mazda Protege… You either get it or you don’t… 7:58 am cst ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/23 "2025-09-01T14:20:43Z")
> [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#): > > Computerized emission controls would replace the snake pit of hoses by the early to late 1990s. But first they had to dump the carb. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/24 "2025-09-01T16:16:53Z")
> [@texases](#): > > But first they had to dump the carb GM disagreed with that thought …unfortunately! GM built (Rochester Division) and used electronically controlled carbs with catalytic convertors in the 1980s before they embraced fuel injection. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/25 "2025-09-01T16:17:06Z")
Yes, that 3bbl carb was a real pain. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/26 "2025-09-01T16:17:11Z")
> [@davesmopar](#): > > replace it with an old school Webber carb, big difference in drivability… Some of us didn’t have that option. Back then, as a State Certified Emissions Specialist, I was prohibited from tampering vehicles under penalty of losing my license. So I had to become an expert at Keihin carbs and getting those old Hondas to pass tailpipe smog. Got to the point I could rebuild them without removing them from the car to save from messing with as many vacuum hoses. Also, fixed a lot of old Honda tailpipe failures with proper valve adjustments. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/27 "2025-09-01T16:17:27Z")
Yep, I don’t get it😀 I still want a bucket T with a Mercury Flathead! Not a lot of power, but looks great. My preferences, in order of desirability based on looks: FoMoCo Flathead, Buick Nailhead, Chevy/GMC 348/409 Of course for the 409 I would have to save my Pennie’s and save my dimes! ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/28 "2025-09-02T01:57:12Z")
I thought maybe there was more to it than cost cutting. The 1976 Civic CVCC was the top of the line: the 1488 CC CVCC engine, bigger than base’s 1238 CC non-CVCC engine, 5 speed trans instead of the base’s 4 speed, hatchback, cloth seats! I read that the CVCC engine was new in 1975, and was the only Civic sold in California that year… Did the base models, with catalytic converters, not meet California’s emission standards? Interesting, too, what texases said about staying with the carb to avoid license fees for fuel injection. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 12:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/29 "2025-09-02T12:53:03Z")
> [@shanonia](#): > > Did the base models, with catalytic converters I don’t think the base engine had a cat. It avoided that by being so small, putting out few grams/miles. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2025, 11:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/30 "2025-09-03T11:05:18Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > GM built (Rochester Division) and used electronically controlled carbs with catalytic convertors in the 1980s before they embraced fuel injection And they had a LOT of problems with them. My 84 GMC pickup went through at least 10 different designs of the Carb. And they never could get it right and reliable. ---
**Author:** ![Ernest-Gargas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@Ernest-Gargas](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ernest-Gargas)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953/31 "2025-09-03T16:25:39Z")
There is a lot more to smog and pollution. There is a lot of science and specifically chemistry behind this. Thermal inversion layers here in San Jose trap the air and prevent it from going over the mountains. We are also surrounded by mountains on 3 sides. Population growth, location and air flow play a large part in smog. Another thing is cities are not planting enough of the correct trees to help with this. There are trees that could be planted to exchange the carbon dioxide for oxygen making the air cleaner. That isn’t being done! There are also certain trees that would help with removing smog. Again, not being planted. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pbs-show-american-experience-war-on-smog/203953.md?page=1)