350z Rear Brake Dust Shield

[PlanGT]

Hi all,

The rear brake dust shields on my Zed have seen much better days, which I imagine is common for these cars. A couple of questions if anyone could offer advice:
-Are these covers required for anything to function or can they just be removed like I've done with other cars?
-If they are required, does anyone know of a cheap option to replace these? I've seen the price for new OEM ones 😬

 

I've had a search but it mostly seems to be people discussing whether they impede brake cooling for track use.

 

Thanks in advance!