I replaced my heat exchangers with SS ones and now the support bracket does not look like it is going to align with the new heat exchangers? What are my options? 1) get new support bracket?, 2) create bracket from scratch, or 3) loosen the HE and muffler and tie everything together and then tighten everything up?

First of all what kind of exchangers came off,ie 1.8,2.0 type because the brackets are different!!! You may want to check that AL

Loosen the two bolts that hold the muffler bracket to the trans. There should be enough wiggle room (all of mine [several] so far) to get 'er done.

Not if you're using the wrong type of support!!

There are three that I know of: 1.7 (also used on the 74 1.8), 2.0 (for the 73-74 2.0 only), and 75-76 (used on all 75-76 914s, 1.8s and 2.0s both). I know that the 2.0 version cannot be swapped with the others. I am not sure if the 1.7 version and the 75-76 version can be swapped or not.

Back to the earlier question: What kind of heat exchangers did you have, and what kind of SSIs do you now have? If you went from 1.7 -> 2.0, or from 2.0 -> 1.7, then you need a new muffler and new muffler bracket. (And new muffler gaskets, the "other" version won't fit.)

If your old and new parts were of the same type, then you can just loosen things up and "git 'er done" as Gint suggested.

--DD

FYI, the 75-76 muffler hanger is several inches wider and has a shallower profile, i.e. the downward angle of the outer portions is considerably less. I think they attach to the top of the single pipe triangular flanges, while the 2 earlier versions attach to the inner bottom corners of the 2 pipe flanges. No way would it even come close to fitting. The Cap'n

The motor is a 1.7, and the new heat exchanger (I was told) fit a 1.7 and 2.0. It is very close, so I assume I have the correct hanger? Holding up the muffler, I am going to have to get the HE's adjusted to fit onto the muffler. I am going to try to loosen everything up and retighten - stay tuned!

The 1.7 and 2.0 used a different H/E, the pipes on the 2.0 version were straight.

Thats why the different hanger.

The HX, muffler and hanger must be a matched set.
Do not tighten any nut, bolt, stud until all the parts are fitted and fasteners installed. Then go round and round snugging up the fasteners in steps to ensure everything is kept aligned. If you have an incorrect part, you should figure this out quickly before bending something that should not be bent.

There are, what, 4 hangers altogether I believe?
/6
1.7 & 74 1.8
73 & 74 2.0
75 & 76 1.8/2.0

5 if you count the aftermarkets from our P & R dept

Between the muffler, HX, and hanger, it was only centimeters off, so I was able to loosen everything, align, then tighten and it appears to be OK. I guess I will find out if it is OK when I fire it up and see how many exhaust leaks I have??

You should be okay now. Sometimes a retightening helps after a few heat cycles.

see this - measurements off of a pre 1975/76 2.0 muffler flanges
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=56867

2.0 heat exchangers - http://www.pbase.com/jimkelly/image/58099259.jpg
must be used with 2.0 style muffler and muffler hanger - pre 1975/76

1.7/1.8 he's- http://www.pbase.com/jimkelly/image/56325756.jpg
must be used with 1.7/1.8 style muffler and muffler hanger