Just pulling your leg! Finished the install of the Belangers last week, and installed w/o heatshields. Just couldn't form the stock shields, and really didn't want to destroy them. Didn't feell like waiting to make some of my own, so I'm running without for now. Feel very "heat conscious" right now, and am checking the engine compartment every couple of days. Nothing unusual noted, but there definitely is more heat than before. Wish I knew how hot it would have been with the stock manifolds w/o heat shields. Went over to Eddie's house to check out his 97, and I saw that he was running Belangers w/o shields too.
We'll see.....the sound is awesome BTW. Deeper tone at idle, sharper at WOT. Not obnoxious at all.