[Steve]

0327 is in the shop sitting...waiting for a part...I registered it in California, as a historical vehicle, but even though it will be driven very seldom, California still requires that it pass the smog check. So the shop is going through everything and they find out that the Exhaust Manifold Heat Riser (pic below ATP 105012) has been modified, essentially removed, and it has to be replaced. That alone causes it to fail the smog check and there is no point continuing with anything else until that problem is solved. Should be no problem, right? Order one, a few days later it's in, install and move on.

Except that although many places online list the part, actually getting one is a challenge. They ordered one on eBay, two days later the seller refunded the money and said he didn't actually have the part. I've ordered one from a parts dealer online, but the best they can tell me is it ships from the manufacturer. No eta on when/if it might ship. So now it's on hold.

I can handle things like making wiring harnesses, troubleshooting the CC1 and MPA2, things that seem like real problems. But it is a simple little emissions-control part that brings the whole thing to a stopping point. A little vacuum-controlled valve that probably nobody ever knew or cared was in there. I looked at 0204 to see if it had one I could borrow. The same mod has been done to it so no go there. I am guessing perhaps over time this part, with it's butterfly valve in the center, gets sticky and stays closed and that causes problems so that's why they were modified by removing the butterfly valve and vacuum solenoid.

It's so annoying because I can't get 0327 to the differential or body shop (my friend's shop) that are 150 miles away until I get the registration completed.