> My 82 vanagon with its original air cooled engine would not pass without a
> cat.

jimt:

My '81 passed emissions here in the metro-Denver area without
a cat for about 15 years.  Only when my second crossover pipe
"eroded" at the U and I bought a complete Bus Depot exhaust
in '99 did I remember that the cat was gutted; I put the BD
cat on with the new exhaust.  This is a Colorado bus; i.e.:
non-California.

It was always close to the limits; with the cat it is much
lower than the limits.  I can see why your '82 could not
pass the tighter test for '82-newer without a cat.  The '81
has an easier test--but only a 1-year sticker!

                        Richard A Jones
                        Boulder, Colorado