Replacing Catalytic converters on 412 auto

Marc

I needed cats on my 400i when I brought it to CT in order to pass the visual emissions inspection.

I contacted Dick Fritz (yes, THAT Dick Fritz!) of Amerispec in Danbury and he crafted a set of new cats to insert between the header down pipes and the muffler underneath the rear seats. He also fabricated a set of "test pipes" that could be used in <ahem> track events by removing the cats and inserting the test pipes in their place.

IIRC, it cost about $1,900 for the set up (in 1999) and I dropped off and picked up the car at his house in Danbury.

I got so that I could swap them out in about 45 minutes just with normal jackstands (no lift) to support the car in the air while I crawled underneath.

As easy as that was, I also wanted to take care of and preserve the cats so I would usually remove them immediately after an emissions test and store them lovingly and carefully in a cabinet in my garage until the next emissions test.

Now that my car is exempt from emissions testing in Connecticut, my cats have been resting comfortably in my garage ever since!

This is a long way of saying: Talk to Dick Fritz at Amerispec. I'm not sure if Amerispec still does that sort of work but, if they do, he can make up new cats, new test pipes or both for you as you wish!

http://amerispecdickfritz.com/page2.php

518-962-4423

PS You asked about "not too loud". I found that the car was too quiet with the cats and is just right with the test pipes (to my tastes) for a sports car but it is definitely louder than the typical passenger car without the cats. I don't find the sound level or the tone objectionable at all.

 

Come on down to New Canaan this Sunday morning for a Zumbach's Caffeine and Carburetors event, the weather forecast is very good. Then you can judge the sound of my test pipes and see what you think about the sound level.

This event has only grown larger since the last time I saw your 412 down there so it could be a nice Sunday morning for you.