Your Chop, Cut, Rebuild feature was performed on a car to be driven in California. The local GM guy told me that the ZZ4 crate engine wasn't a legal engine to put in my '87 coupe. Does he know what he's talking about? Thanks...mike  

Interesting question. As far as I knew, the ZZ4 was California Emissions legal. Let me do some digging and I'll let you know what I find out.  

The list of approved engines and after market parts is listed at:

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/amquery.php

As I understand it, unless the engine (or all its parts) have a CARB number, the engine must have been used in a GM passenger car sold in California.  If the basic car is from out of state, it is a little different, but I'm not sure how.

I am going through all of this with an LT1 I am putting into a Jag XJS.

As far as I know, the only California approved turn key engines are Lingenfelter's.

daveoberholtzer