I have a 79 with a 305 and a 2 barrel carb I’d like to delete all emissions I can but not sure what really qualifies and what is still necessary for the engine to run without overheating Can anyone please tell me what can be removed?

 

I don't know why removing the smog stuff would cause overheating.
As far as what I've done on other cars way back in the day I removed the smog pump and plugged off all the smog related hose ports etc. just running a PVC only.

 

Since the computer controlled carburetor did not come out until 81 there is not a lot to do. There are systems on your car that are considered emission but you do not want to get rid of.

What you should have.
PVC system. Should be left intact and working.

Evap system, is a carburetor ventilation system. If everything is working right it will only do its job after the car is shut down. You can have a valve failure that will cause fuel to be sucked out of the carburetor into the vent while the car is driving. This is normally show up as a surging while at cruising speeds. If you want to get rid of this system just find a vacuum diagram and remove the whole system, plug the vacuum source and leave the carb vent unplugged.

EGR, a fully functioning EGR system will only effect the car under light loads like cruise speeds. If you are passing or even pulling a grade uphill they will close. One of the effects of a working EGR system is it will reduce cylinder pressure and it will allow you to run cheaper gas and not have spark knock. One of the down side of an EGR valve especially in a carbureted motor is the EGR valve over time can allow the intake to start to fill with soot. For myself I would remove this just to keep the motor cleaner at the cost of needing to run better gas and lower MPG. You can buy block off plates which is the right way to do the elimination. Pulling the vacuum hose off a working EGR valve would have the same effect. You just want to make sure the valve is not leaking and you plug all hoses.

Catalytic converter and air induction. This has no effect on how the car runs other then the restrictive nature of the Cat. The air injection is there to make the cat work better. It only really works when the car is cold. I believe GM use to say please leave the air pump connected until the motor was broken in. Most Cats get discarded when they become a problem or when there is an exhaust upgrade. I would guess with the exception of California most 79 camaro do not have a Cat anymore unless local laws require it.

FYI the CAT is just an insanely hot furnace that burns up unwanted emissions. When the engine is cold its gets extra fuel from the choke system, this is why it needs fresh air from the air pump until the choke turns off. A fully functional Cat in a unmodified car should not effect the power of the car. If the cat is partly plugged or the motor has been modified to breath more air then the Cat becomes a bottleneck of the air flowing through the motor.

If there is any type of emissions test in your area make sure you talk to a mechanic. Most places do not require these old cars to pass any emission testing but there are some that do and there are a lot more that do not require testing but do require cars to have all factory installed emission systems in place. Here in PA emission law vary widely depending on where you live. Areas like Philly and Pittsburg will have the toughest and some areas up in the mountains Laws do not seem to care much about older cars. Here in Allentown where I live there is not aa requirement for a 1979 car and emissions. If I lived 15 miles to the south any car built after 1975 is required to pass emission. That is both visual (stuff needs to be there) and the tail pipe sniffer.