Regardless of what motor goes in it, it will have to pass/confirm to that vehicle years emissions standards. If it was a 99 monte, then that SBC would have to be obdII, have all the emission components and pass the diagnostic port tests.
I run without a CAT and I don’t even get a visual inspection because car does under 5K a year and is exempt. But it could also be that the place I take to doesn’t care. I don’t know if it is supposed to be still checked for anything when it is exempt. I know they don’t OBDII it, but that wouldn’t matter since my ECU is programmed to not throw a code for no CAT.
I don’t know the limits of what “exempt” means. But if you’re under 5K a year, you should be good, I’d think. “Exempt” should mean just that.
If the vehicle is under 5k miles, then there is no emissions procedure and the exemption is issued. It could be billowing black smoke out 5’ stacks and it wouldnt matter.
emissions is completely different from state here. hence the 2 licenses you need. now butler, which is a non I/M county, visual is a part of state inspection, in which case you’d fail state for no cat
your better off staying in an IM county now. example: If your registered in butler county all emissions componants for that chassis is required for a state inspection.