Sounds like you really want a good used OEM cat.
( I've been told many times by junkyards in Ca that it's illegal for them to
sell used cats . )

if you simply must have one......I have a couple.....
but they're a lot more than 50 bucks used.
I'd rather save them for the vanagons I restore and sell.

Scott

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Kao" <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: new CARB rules for cats in Calif?

>I remember seeing junked vanagons with complete exhaust system
> available for pulling. I pulled a pair of cylinder heads from
> one and left everything else there. If I remember correctly
> the CAT was still on the Vanagon. Well, this was probably 5 years
> ago. I am not aware that it is illegal for wreckers to sell
> used CATs. Last year I was offered one from a small wreck yard
> (a very small though). It might have been illegal as you said.
> I did not buy it because it wasn't an OEM one.
>
> David
>
>
>
> --- On Tue, 2/10/09, mdrillock <mdrillock@COX.NET> wrote:
>
>> From: mdrillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
>> Subject: Re: new CARB rules for cats in Calif?
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 9:23 AM
>> The California you-pull yards don't sell used cats. It
>> has been illegal
>> to do so for years!
>>
>> They cut them off and sell them to recyclers for their
>> precious metals
>> content.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>> David Kao wrote:
>> > I have a cheap CAT on my 84 GL. I believe I paid
>> around $50 only
>> > in the late 90's. It looks cheap and I never liked
>> it. But it does
>> > the job fine. My 84 just passed a smog test last
>> December. The smog
>> > test tech told me that my Vanagon did well considering
>> its age.
>> > Since I don't like its look I have been looking
>> for a used OEM
>> > one. It is usually available from you-pull junk yard
>> kind of cheap
>> > when I wasn't looking. Last time I went to a junk
>> yard there wasn't
>> > even a Vanagon to be found. I guess I don't really
>> need one anyway.
>> > I am in California. I am not aware of any new specific
>> requirement
>> > regarding smog/CAT on old cars.
>> >
>> > David
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --- On Mon, 2/9/09, Jeff <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >> From: Jeff <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
>> >> Subject: Re: new CARB rules for cats in Calif?
>> >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> >> Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 3:29 PM
>> >> This has been covered before... the main reason
>> California
>> >> is requiring all
>> >> new catalytic converters to meet OBD-II standards
>> is to
>> >> improve the overall
>> >> quality of the cats sold in CA.  OBD-II cats must
>> come with
>> >> 50k mile/5 year
>> >> warranties.
>> >>
>> >> That pretty much eliminates those cheap $100
>> Vanagon cats.
>> >>
>> >> Cheers,
>> >>
>> >> Jeff
>> >>