If you were to cut off your exhaust pipe the muffler would come off with it, sence it is attached to the very end... I would be alot louder, it might hurt your MPG rating.
Exhaust systems are made specificly for each car so they run right. If you just chop off the muffler and leave it a straight pipe from the cat conv, you are gonna notice a difference in mileage along with screwing up the back pressure of your exhaust. Cutting it that far back is not a smart idea because it is right under the passengers in the back.
It would be loud and annoying, but my truck is running over 170 dB and I have it set up for that. You will not kill anyone with carbon monoxide poisoning if you are driving around or even just sitting in it at idle. If you park inside a garage there is a greater chance of that happening.
Yes you can put a tip on later but it will still be louder. The tip will just act as a megaphone for the exhaust seeing you want to chop off the muffler.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.