Its a new thing I am trying out. Hahaha

 

If you'll step off your high horse for a moment, you'll realize that nobody said anything about removing catalytic converters. I certainly didn't. Seems like a misreading on your part base on a misunderstanding of the parts that are actually installed on the 2000.

Sure you can. The precats are in the downpipe, not in the exhaust manifolds. The aftermarket headers are exactly the same in both the EPA and CA versions. They bolt to the downpipe in exactly the same places. The only difference is that for the EPA version, you plug the O2 holes, and the plugs are usually supplied with the header. Replacing the manifolds with a header has no effect on the installation of the catalytic converters. None at all.

There absolutely positively most definitely is. I have held more than one of them in my very own dirty hands and even got a metal splinter from one to prove it. Here's a pic of the one installed on my 2000 XJ, just before I sent it off to be ceramic coated:



The downpipe is exactly the same size and length for both versions. The difference is that the CA version has precats and downstream O2 sensor bungs in it. Like so:



You can see in that picture that the downpipe (either version) bolts to the exhaust manifolds as a separate piece. Here's an EPA 4.0L with a header instead of the stock manifolds. Note the O2 sensor bungs plugged up.



And here's a CA version with a Torque Tubes style header. You can't see the cats very well in the pic, but you can see where the O2 sensors are installed.



For even more reference, here's a pic of the Borla headers next to the stock manifolds (CA version--see the O2 sensors):



And here's that Borla set installed. Cats are still under there.





Again, nobody said anything about removing cats, since the headers fit either version without affecting the downpipe at all. But for just replacing the header, the only place you would have an issue with inspections is in California, where you may need to pay extra for a CARB sticker. Even there the headers are exactly the same, just that one comes with a silly sticker to make you legal under California state law.

 

To the OP it took me about 6 mo of looking till I found the 1999 XJ that I wanted for the price and condition that I was looking for. Found a bunch of others along the way but wait and bide your time a good 99 will come along.

 

Alright I gotta apologize, especially to Shaky. I must have had my head up my *** yesterday. For some reason I was thinking that the EPA version was still a single down pipe, and then I completely misread your post. My apologies, high horse has been left for dead.