Catelitic Convertor protect?

haste maker wrote:
Take it off yourself & go sell it like they are going to do...and replace it with a straight pipe...

I remember in the 80's the 2 big auto parts catalogs, JC Whitney and Washawski (I think) marketed "catalytic converter test pipes" that were installed in place of the converter, to ostensibly determine if the converter was plugged and affecting engine performance. ;) :B