Emissions Charcoal Vapor Canister

twertsy · #1 12-15-2013, 12:41 PM

Ok folks, I've been cleaning up / updating the suspension / front underside on my '70 Mustang.
From the VIN: 0-Year 1970 F-Assembly Dearborn, Michigan 02-Body SportsRoof 2-Door Fastback F-Engine V8 302 CID 2V

I can find no records of this canister on a '70 car, but it came off my car. Connected to a tube that runs up the passenger inner fender, across the firewall then back to the rear along the frame. It's not connected to anything back there currently and wasn't when I bought the car. Could this have been put on by the plant? I assume it was connected to the gas tank originally? Just curious what its purpose was.

**Lynn** · #2 12-15-2013, 03:40 PM

Did the car spend any time in Calif.?

Not saying this is what happened, but... in the 70's if you moved to CA, and the powers that be didn't like your pollution controls, it may have been necessary to install some.

This is not my personal experience, just what I heard in the 70's. Supposedly guys were pulling pollution controls off of "49 state" cars and sending them to shops in CA to be installed on cars being "imported" to CA.

twertsy · #3 12-15-2013, 08:18 PM

I'm really not sure. I bought it from a friend here in VA, and I believe it was in Okie before she owned it. I've no clue before that. I've seen these on '71 and 72s, but not '70.

twertsy · #4 12-15-2013, 08:39 PM

Local guy here collects Mustangs and he's never seen it either. I did get to see some of his cars today which include a squeaky clean 40k mi. survivor Boss 302 and a 1 of 10 428 SCJ Pace car.

Sportyworty · #5 12-20-2013, 04:01 PM

It is a carbon canister. Evaporative emissions system were introduced in 1970 for California and mostly standard starting in 1971. This system vented gasoline vapors from the fuel tank into a storage canister. The canister which is filled with charcoal or carbon particulates would filter the fumes and then pass these gasoline fumes into a fitting on the air cleaner. These remaining fumes would be mixed with atmospheric air taken in by the carburetor when the engine was running. Your car may be a 71 or 72 DSO.

twertsy · #6 12-21-2013, 09:25 PM

It's a '70 Stang.....Help me out, DSO?

Sportyworty · #7 12-22-2013, 04:24 AM

DSO
Domestic Special Order
Is typically a two-digit code number of the District which ordered the car. (in your case that two digit number is likely 71 or 72 which are San Jose and Los Angeles) these were the only districts for California. For a 70 model Mustang the inner door jamb data was on a sticker as opposed to prior years with the Aluminum tag. The DSO is called out there or if you have a Marti Report it will decode all of the sticker call outs. The 2nd digit in the vin will be either R for San Jose, F Dearborn or T Metuchen. The Majority of California DSO cars were obviously built at the San Jose plant but sometimes a car would be shipped into California from other plants in which case they would be equipped with the CA emissions set up. They have other gear in the trunk for the vented gas tank but perhaps it has been replaced. These parts are relatively hard to find for a restoration on a Cobra Jet for instance.
Kerry

twertsy · #8 12-22-2013, 12:52 PM

Thanks Kerry. It's a Dearborn car. Could have gone to Cali at some point in its life I guess and retrofitted? The car is extremely clean, no rust anywhere at all and as far as I can tell, all original sheet metal so that could explain it. The previous owner "restored" it, which I have been repairing as I find issues. Metric bolts/nuts everywhere, GM alternator, jerry-rigged bolts/spacers/clips, etc. Can/bracket are not going back on the car. Bracket is medium gloss black powder-coated and can is painted, both blasted first and are very clean. If someone needs them for a proper resto just let me know.

Sportyworty · #9 12-22-2013, 05:44 PM

Get a Marti Report if for some reason the original door sticker is missing (often the case). Any car that was originally sold in California will be a plus with regards to value. I doubt it was retro fitted and was a factory install. Dearborn obviously had the parts available. I had a 70 with a 351 Windsor true story there were a few extremely early cars that received the last of the Windsors. It was a special order Dearborn plant built shipped to Los Angeles district 71 and sold new at Russ Davis Ford in Covina CA. The car had the emmissions system in place and was a true survivor one owner special paint (Chestnut Metallic) loaded Mach 1.
I would have interest in the parts.

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