Strange question about channel for engine tin rubber seal

[frankc]

Ok, this may be difficult to explain, but I was installing the panel (heat shield?) that goes above the muffler on the impact bumper cars (G series), and noticed that the tabs on the panel were not lining up and engaging with the mating sheet metal piece properly, as the sheet metal appears to be bowed in slightly towards the engine. On the other side of this sheet metal piece is the channel for the engine tin seal, which of course was also bowed in towards the engine. I checked the same area on my '73, and the channel is straight across - no bow, but much of that area of the chassis is different for the early cars.

It does not seem reasonable to have this area bowed in towards the engine as the matching engine tin at the rear of the engine is straight across, so I thought it must have been bent as some point by the PO, but how? A mishap during an engine drop? I was going to try to bend it back straight, but I did not see any sign of damage in the area (the panel hidden above the heat shield is also straight), so then I started thinking that maybe it is supposed to be bowed given how uniform the arc is.

So I know this is an obscure question, but would anyone with an impact bumper car that has the engine out be able to check that area of the car and compare it to my photo below to see if it matches? In the photo, the yellow lines are straight, and the red lines follow the bow of the engine seal channel. I know the arc is not much, but it does affect how well the rubber seal cradles the engine tin. I noticed this side of the engine did not seal as well as the other three sides, but never really knew why or gave it much thought until I saw this.

Thanks

[frankc]

Same picture with the lines out of the way. You can see here how the tabs on the heat shield are not engaging fully at the center, but are fully engaged at the ends.