> What does this part do?
It's a clamping plate, spreads the force from the bolt heads so they don't rip
through the relatively thin sheetmetal. Think of a specially shaped fender
washer.
> Is it metal?
Yes.
> Can one opt to leave it off?
You could ... but I wouldn't.
> Since it is NA, where can I get a pair if I need to?
Have I flogged Roadster Factory in the last 15 minutes ? P/N 602443
Or, it would be easy enough to fabricate a replacement if necessary. Buy some
flat stock at Home Depot, cut it to fit (shape is a long rectangle with one
corner cut off, easy to see with the body resting on the frame), and drill a
couple of holes in it.
Randall
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