How to remove heat shroud from Excell muffler?

[DelgatyXTX]

I have a plan to trim my shroud so I can eliminate the rear plastic and run "naked" exhaust. Got the seat off, plastics off, undid all the bolts holding the sheild to the tunnel and the 4 locknuts and 2 washers that hold the rear top plastic on. I thought the bolts would just slide right out but it won't budge. Do I have to take the 2 bolts out that go through the biller mounting block and through the sheild? I can't figure out why they don't just drop. They can't be threaded in place because I had to hold the head with a wrench to get the nut off, otherwise the whole bolt just spun. I've been told you have to remove the muffler with the sheild from the header, but I don't see how it would make it easier because it's still as hard to get in between the muffler and sheild.

Any advice you can throw my way is greatly appreciated! I can't believe I can't figure it out, I feel embarassed because usually I'm good at finding out how to disassemble things.

Thanks,
Ryan