Chris,

Products For Power has a couple of possibilities for a converter for your
Syncro.  One is a "direct fit" converter complete with flanges and gaskets
and a hole (with an optional plug) for the oxygen sensor.  These flanges are
the "floating captive" three hole flanges, meaning that they would twist to
any position to adapt to the existing vehicle flanges, then they would lock
into place with the tightening of the three bolts on each end.  the overall
length of this converter is 12" from flange tip to flange tip.  The inlet and
outlet inside diameter is 2".  The converter itself is naturally a round
stainless steel unit complete with its own directional heat shield.  It is a
three-way catalyst.  It is a honeycomb type ceramic substrate as opposed to
being a pellet-type catalyst.  This converter costs you and the rest of the
list $125.00 + approx. $5.00 shipping east coast, $10.00 shipping west coast
(extra for C.O.D.)  This Part# is 5291

The other possibility is to purchase the bare catalyst that comes in the
"direct fit" kit.  It is sold without flanges (you would cut the ones off fo
your old cat and weld them onto the new cat), without the gaskets (you can
get these at any auto parts stores or good VW specialist shops), and it is
approximately 11" long from inlet opening to outlet opening.  It also has the
hole for the oxygen sensor (it also comes with a plug in case you don't use
the hole).  This costs you $82.54 plus the same shipping deal as above.  This
part # is 5713.  I usually can ship either of these within two days of order.

I have confidence in these products.  I use these products myself.  I think
that the quality of these products is slightly higher than that of the
original VW equipment.  I'm sure that VW doesn't make it's own converters.

Thanx,
Norm