Some Exhaust Work - Cat pipes

[Friborage]

My cat pipe flange broke off at the rear where the spring bolts go since last year, and aside from getting tired of listening to essentially open headers all the time, it wont pass inspection this way.

I have the new pipe and Im preparing to remove the old pipe, I already cut off one of the spring bolts and Im getting ready to do the other, but Im looking at the front flange.

I already started cutting away the bottom bolt in these pictures, but Im a little concerned about the overall integrity of the other flange. The right side is the rear cat pipe with the two converters in series, the left flange is going up to the manifolds.

Once I cut the bolts, I plan to maybe... I dunno do some fairly gentle chisel work to separate some of the junk out of there, without damaging the left flange or maybe I should tap the garbage pipe with a hammer to try to break it apart.

Im gunna have a real ***** of a time if I have to go all the way up and replace all the way to the manifolds, trying to avoid that at all costs.

Assuming I get the bolts cut and the pipes separated, the old nuts are fused to the back side of the left flange... would it be best to try to drill them through from the clean side, or break them off with a hammer and chisel? Any suggestions?

My main worry is destroying that forward flange, or if it's already beyond saving.

 

[poker4me007]

That look's rough, think its time for a new cat, anything you try doing there isn't going to last long.It doesn't look like its round other wise maybe you could cut it off and attach a pipe to it.
You could try a muffler shop and see if it could be welded somehow (might save you a few bucks) IDK. Good Luck.