What will it take to put a nearly new 1980 360 CID engine in a 1989 van the 1980 engine is a Marshall rebuild Marshall said that AIR heads and flat vs roller tappets are things to consider?

Answer 1

It wouldn't be a legal swap. Federal law prohibits installing any engine older than the model year of the vehicle it's going into. Since the vehicle is a 1989, the engine would also have to be a 1989 or newer motor.

You might be able to get an exemption from the EPA if you can prove that the 1980 engine isn't appreciably different from a 1989 or newer motor, plus you'd have to prove that all emissions equipment in the 1989 vehicle would be functioning and intact.

You MIGHT get away with it IF the inspection people aren't very attentive, but it wouldn't be a legal swap.

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• The above answer applies only if the company doing the engine swap is a commercial company. In most cases, you can swap out anything that still meets EPA standards for your make, model and year.
• Many states no longer inspect personal vehicles at all. Those that do, normally inspect for tailpipe emissions and safety items, not original equipment.