Front exhaust pipe install with Koenig front winch PTO shaft in place

[slowpatina]

I'm looking to replace a IIA 88 2.25 exhaust system on a Series with original Koenig front winch driven by front PTO shaft. The shaft runs forward to the winch, parallel between the frame and the block.

I'm concerned the space between the PTO shaft and the block isn’t wide enough to fit the front (manifold end) of the front exhaust pipe through with its sliding mounting ring/bracket.

That space is questionably narrow and removing the PTO shaft in order to install the front exhaust pipe would be a *real* pain.

A verbose way of asking, have any of you successfully installed a front exhaust pipe while the front PTO shaft is in place, on a IIA?

Thanks