Mr. Winter;
The AIR system may be designed (in theory) to do that, but in reality it just 'stirs things up' or dilutes the exhaust to change the reading at idle (only) and does NOTHING to aid air quality as the volume and # of pulses @ run speed overwhelm it etc.
The excesssive temps caused by the Cat. used/required on later 70s & early 80s vehicles is what's under discussion and also caused the MFG to add steel seats at the factory back then.
As far as 60s vehicles having an odor; simply not true. However; I agree that any 'hopped up' engine will though, as the high speed camshafts used in them don't work well at idle.
The claim of a 90% reduction in emissions is "wishfull thinking" and impossible to prove/disprove as ALL the 'numbers' generated are the governments, or their "friends".
You are "right on" is stating that EFI & HEI systems (in unison) DO reduce emssions greatly and are welcome by everyone, mostly because they reduce fuel consumption.
Your analogy of the: "Peoples Republic of California" is 'right on' as well, but understated. Over 1/3 of the vehicles that fail our SMOG test do while passing the emmisions standard(s) for HC, CO & NOX. It's all about money/power and keeping it. We just had a ballod proposition (P-87) last election that would have taxed us 7 Billion ($) for a new breaucracy using air pollution/air quaility fuel (energy) usage as it's justification.
I believe that money would have been used to fight E-87 in the mid west, or create a government sponsored fuel consortitum there.
Your statement reguarding 'geograpyhical concerns' is correct (if) you are refering to the "South Coast Air Basin" in Los Angeles. However: Those conditions were there long before the internal combustion engine. The Indians named it; 'the valley of smoke'.
Happy trails.
