New Exhaust for my Duster?

Yeah that's what it sounds like to me. Drop the mufflers and let rip was the previous owners plan. Have you thought about going to your local muffler shop and let them run a system from the H-pipe back the way you want it? My muffler shop lets me stand there under the car and show them what I want etc... and I step back and they weld away. If you don't want it welded they can clamp it for you also.