[C. Ludwig]

In theory, the stock narrowband is there to provide feedback for closed loop operation at partial loads for improved efficiency. In reality, your sensor has probably never been replaced and probably stopped working correctly sometime during the Bush 1 administration. Removing it all together will probably not effect anything.

All that said, the proper way to do this is to have a good working narrowband sensor and then add a 2nd O2 bung and put the wideband in there. It's really not too expensive to have an exhaust shop weld another bung in there.