Thanks!! I checked into it.
Engine changes are legal in California as long as a number of requirements are met. One, the engine must be the same year or newer than the vehicle. Also, the engine must be from the same type of vehicle based on the vehicle's gross weight. For example, you can't put an engine for a heavy duty truck in a passenger car, or vice versa. Additionally, all emissions control equipment has to stay on the installed engine. And if the car is a California certified vehicle, then the engine has to be California certified, as well.
My pinto came with a factory V6, and the sticker is still under the hood for it. So I'm just going with something that's " better for the environment" (wink wink) by switching to a modern "comparable" (wink wink) V6 that happens to have slightly (one more wink) more horsepower than the original carbureted 2.8.........
That's my story and I'm stickin to it.