As part of project "you can't turbo a 914" I am trying to keep as much of the system bolt on as possible, but have decided to remove the muffler heat shield, for a couple reasons- don't need it with the turbo, won't need it if I go n/a and use the supertrapp, and thirdly, I'd like to wrangle up some sort of receiver hitch to weld to the transmission cross member, and open up a slot between the nice chrome bumper and the lower valance for the insert. I picked up cheep on ebay a universal reese hitch that uses a flat bar for the ball mount, and would require only the smallest of slots or openings to be carved in the valance. Slide the bar in, tow the tire trailer. Slide the bar out, and you'll never see the opening. Figuring out how to mount all this would be alot easier w/out the muffler heat shield. The car is a 1973 if that matters. Open for ideas. Would prefer minimum destruction if possible.

It is welded on. Just cut it off?

When I removed mine (on a rotesseri no less) I had a bitch of a time. I would say be Vewy Vewy careful and find all your spot welds (on the shield to supports) and drill em out as I missed a few and in trying to bend it out dented/ripped holes in my rear trunk. Then gring off the mounts? its been a while so I may have mised a point or two

Josh

Just take a cutting wheel to it and cut all the tabs holding it to the trunk. Be careful and make sure your wheel is big enough. Once it is off then you can clean up the area.

I cut the attachment points off and ground off the rest. Must be a turbo thing....

Anyone have some pics? I'd love to find the spot welds and get this out the easy way, hopefully in 1 piece in case for some odd reason I'd want to put it back.

Chappy, I've been feeling around back there, how the heck do you get to the "attachment points"? Some of them seem hidden even from God? Did you have to pull the bumper and rear valance?

I don't know how anyone else did it but I cut the crap out of mine to get to all the different welds. There are eight of them total. I took off the rear valance as it was kind of in the way.

I will have to run out to the shed to look because i saved the shield, i have a rear trunk back there too with one still attached. I think i used a sawzall but am not sure, I will see if i can dig them out of the snow, and post a picture.

That part I do remember.... where they thinking when they welded that bitch in??

Dave,
You can buy spot weld drill bits at he local autobody supply. Probably 20 bucks tops. Be delicate so you don't go all the way through. Then you could put it back if you want. I think though it is a pipe dream to think you can climb back up the slippery slope...

Here are some shots from my 74. Hope these help.

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Last one

conedodger- I don't expect I'll ever to back that way, but if I know how it went togather, I've got half a chance to get it appart w/out destroying the whole car doing it...

bartlett- those are some great pics, gives me a better idea where to look to catch all those little buggers and how to get it appart.

Man, drill out spot welds - Why are you saving this thing???

I took my sawzall - lopped off the brackets and cleaned it up with an angle grinder and 3inch 90 degree rolocs. Drilling spot welds out is for panel replacement. If I was there I would have that sucka outta there in 4 minutes. Took me longer to mount my 4 new wheels. Just man handle that thing, unless you are saving it for some reason, and if that reason is that you will put it back someday, you won't. It will just be another thing laying around your garage. It will be extremely difficult to replace taht thing once you cut it out...

Barlett thanks for posting those shots, you just saved me from shoveling those suckers out from behind the shed....

Notice the notch in the shield ? WTF is that for?

Good question

That is from the factory (I didn't do it). It is on the side of the car that has the fitting for the tow ring. If the shield were symmetrical, it may touch the bracket for the tow ring or at least be somewhat close. I assume they made it for clearance.

Glad to help out.

can you see the spotwelds from the top, on the trunk floor ???
Andy


PS: on the factory /6 cars (at least the early ones) the heatshield is screwed in, not welded ...

I used a chain and revved the engine up to about 6000 rpm before dumping the clutch...

Amazing what will come out of a small opening....

Ken

On the car I showed, the trunk was pitted with rust so finding spot welds isn't easy. The 2 outer ones towards the front are near the round cutouts in the trunk floor. There is a lot of seam sealer in place. This would need to be removed to see the welds.