I finally got my 1-5/8" hole saw, my 1.5" perforated tubing, and had a night without meetings to do some work.
The Catalyst was really tedious to get out.....lots of hammering on the end of a screwdriver and prying out the honeycomb. This is the last catalyst muffler I will ever do, I didn't know it was one when I bought the muffler. The hole saw worked great, I used a 1.5" on the back and 1-5/8" on the front, and pulled the baffle out the front.
The baffle is shown in approximately the location it sits in the muffler. It only has 36 holes in the entrance of the baffle, then on the backside of the plate the exit has 84 holes for the exhaust to exit. The green tape shows where the plug is welded into the baffle. I was surprised to see that the outer jacket of the muffler is not hollow - it has a resonator built with perforated pipe and some kind of fiber inside. The exhaust flows out the inner baffles and passes between the inner baffle and outer resonator.
I have a feeling that the non-catalyst muffler may have a bit longer baffler inside.....not sure.
I can't weld the new baffle in the same locations as I can't reach that far back into the muffler - I will have to make the new pipe longer and weld it near the ends. There is a inner surface that can be welded to without screwing up the chrome. The hole saws worked incredibly well as they only cut out the baffle - but did not cut any of the supporting structure for the muffler or outer resonator.
AND.......I couldn't resist the chance to buy this new take off muffler from a GSXR 1000. It can be adapted with some pipe work, and it looks like it will be a nice sounding muffler on the Savage (if looks can predict sound). The inlet pipe goes into the muffler and passes to the back end, the exit pipe extends to the front end so that both pipes pass each other inside the muffler, and the entire chamber is a big resonator with perforated walls and fiber matt. The size works with the Savage and it will bolt right up to the stock mount. Is it a good look for the Savage????????