Abstract: An automobile exhaust gas ceramic catalytic element support device mounts the element in a metal housing and cushions the element from radial shock loads. The device is compressed knitted wire mesh and includes crimped corrugations formed into a cylinder. The cylinder end has a conduit containing a knitted compacted wire mesh rope formed by drawing knitted wire mesh through a die until the formed rope is compacted into a gas seal. The device at the rope end has a radially inwardly extending lip for engaging an end face of the element. The rope may include non-metallic fibers to enhance sealing action of the rope. The device is axially retained by an annular channel in the converter housing with the rope substantially gas sealing the interface region between the ceramic element and the housing.