weird engine manufacture code

[3macs1]

Hi Kurt:
Both of the engines I noted earlier were indeed non smog and both have the original manifolds and are not drilled. The impala set were cast just a few days prior to the engine build date.You may be on to something.
Joe

[70CitrusZ]

Wow this is new...Is there actually proof that Canadian L36 were non-smog?. A similar issue came up in the past when I was restoring my 70 Z-28.
Its some sort of old wives tale, and In that instance (F Bodies) it has been proven that Canadian "sold" cars DID indeed all have smog just like their American counterparts, (of course they were all built in the U.S.) unlike popular belief that Canadian Z's were somehow smog exempt.

This would certainly confirm the reason for the different engine codes if this were true on 68 Canadian built cars which could include Canadian Pontiac and Chevrolet A and B bodies, and possibly X as well?.

Can anyone else confirm this information is true?

This would mean that 3S was Canadian or non-smog L36 with M20 trans, and 3T was non-smog L36 with M21 trans.

If this is confirmed it solves the mystery! ...It also means I have to find some undrilled exhaust manifolds...
Mark.

[Keith Tedford]

Here in Ontario, I don't recall ever seeing smog pumps on L34 and L35 cars in '68 and '69, just the solid lifter engines. A friend has a '69 Vetter with the 390 hp 427. I'll have to double check his car as I don't think it has smog either. Can't always count on memory though.

[3macs1]

It was the same in Nova Scotia Keith. If we seen a smog pump back then 99% were US cars.
I would not even know how many 66-69 full size BBC we worked on or parted over the years and you are 100% correct the only ones I seen with smog were solid lifter engines.
1970 we started to see the odd smog pump but most of them were smog free also. The motor out of my 70 chevelle was pulled in 76 pretty well complete and no smog but I do have a 454 out of a 70 caprice with smog but the car came from BC so could have been a US car.I never paid any attention to it when we parted it.
Mark:
I know of a 68 Impala SS427 l-36 4spd with the original owner and about 40,000 original miles. This car has never been altered , painted etc, and he has every bolt it came with. No smog on this 427 either.

[70CitrusZ]

Cool, then it sounds like the mystery is solved. Thanks to everyone's input I think we can confirm a 3S code as a 1968 L36 M20 that was produced with no provision for smog.

So, would U.S. 1968 L36's have had smog for sure?...

3macs1, sounds like you have lots of experience with these cars..I may have to lean on you a bit for more info!. PM me if you have any knowledge of some available original parts for these cars,I need some pieces to continue with my resto.

Also here's another question, were the starters Canadian made..ie "Mckinnon" or something like that, or were they the same as U.S. cars. I would imagine being Canadian built there may have been some Canadian sourced castings and parts on those units?
Maybe I should start a new thread on this in the Canadian forum? would that be more useful do you think?

Thanks,
Mark.