guess i don't really need a cat to pass smog

[shok]

i've always felt the car kinda felt like the exhaust was being restricted, kinda like a bad cat. so yesterday i decided to just gut the car and next year i'll put a new one in B4 smog. I cut it on one ennd and lower it down annd look inside with a flashlight, expecting to see a melted cat core, silly me, the previous owner already gutted it!
This is an 85 CFI car, when I took it in for smogging after I got it, the smoglady said it needed some work, and was tagged as a gross polluter in the past, but all she did was put in a new O2 sensor and it ran nice and clean and easily passed. So I guess I don't need no stinkin cat, other than for visual.
Car is still a dog going up hills tho :(

[mfpmax]

Yup, a well tuned car doesn't need a catalytic converter as it is burning the fuel efficiently.
Cats are more for vehicles that don't get constant upkeep and maintence. Aka, Average Joe's car.

[shok]

yeh i guess i got it in nice enough shape after doing the headgaskets (i got the car with blown HGs), I just didnt do the O2 which was the final step. I think I'll eventually put a pipe all the way thru the cat which should help flow a bit, and maybe improve the sound some. it really does not sound that good right now.