I live in Dallas and finally got my car down to get it inspected. The guy is telling me that the only things from keeping me from passing is that I should not have an open element air cleaner and that he believes I need a smog pump. Does anyone know what the 72 Malibu 350 4 barrel original set-up was? I got the car with headers and no air cleaner.

Are things that different up there in Dallas? Here in Houston my 72 has wrong motor, headers, open element air cleaner, etc. Inspection guy didn't care.

Maybe your inspector was thinking too much. Might try to find another shop...

They are real ?!@holes about it here. I had a 77 camaro and they would not pass the car unless it had the correct air cleaner with the heat riser tube. That car had no emissions whatsoever. It took me a day to run around to junk yards to get the correct air cleaner and when I found the one I needed the snorkel was crushed. I ended up buying it and a standard one and made one good one out of the two. I have done some research and I believe the smog pump only came with the AIR system on California cars. Luckily I got an original Arlington, TX car. I believe I will find a stock air cleaner, put the heat riser pipe to the headers and be done with it. I agree with you and I will go to another shop. I know my car is safer and runs better than half the cars in Dallas anyways.