The crossover pipe from cylinder 1 to 3 has developed a crack right
where it is supported by the flat metal plate that bolts onto the front
part of the engine by the transmission,  Those pipes are original (91
GL with 188 k) and my wife and I really are not sure how much longer we
are going to keep the van, so although I am going to fix the leak I
decided to go the inexpensive route and bought the S & S headers from
Ken at Vanagain.  I have been researching some muffler options while I
wait for the headers to arrive from Arizona.  I can get a Dynomax 6
inch round, 19 inch long muffler for $45.  It has a 2 inch pipe that
will mate with the 2 inch pipe from the Cat, which I am going to have
to replace as well since the flanges there are pretty well rusted away,
The parts guy at the FLAPS that has the Dynomax muffler suggested
cutting the triangular, 3 holed flange off of the new Cat and welding
the 2 inch pipe from the Cat to the 2 inch pipe from the new muffler.
he seemed to think that this would be a better solution than trying to
find and weld a 3 holed flange to the new muffler.  Any disadvantages
to his suggested route of welding the Cat to the muffler, other than
the obvious future disassembly problems?  Also is he right about the
difficulty of finding a 3 holed flange that will fit and getting it
welded on correctly?
        I know the majority of you out there recommend and have gone with the
OEM setup of exhaust pipes and stock muffler or the Stebro setup (been
to the archives and drunk from that goblet of knowledge), but I made
the decision to attempt this repair with the S&S headers, and read some
pretty negative reviews of the S&S muffler, so here I am searching for
alternatives.  Advice is appreciated.

Dan Erlandson