Here are a bunch more pictures of some of the things I find more interesting. Hopefully, some of these are new.
Gordon
Here are a few photos of the brakes. They are brand new Spirit R brakes, which are slightly larger than the stock brakes at 314mm diameter. The pistons are different than stock and each rotor is individually dynamically balanced. The rears are slightly larger and have different pistons as well. I liked them, because they were larger and better, but still Mazda. I like the Brembo-like red calipers with silver white Mazda.
This interior photo shows the new seat redo with the perforated leather and more padding for my old ass. You can't believe how comfortable these are, especially since they started as the RZ racing shells (the CF on the back is covered with the same black leather that covers every interior surface except the cream white perforated headliner). The console was "metalized" (shot with silver dust and copper ad nickel plated) and then painted black. The ashtray was chromed. (Maybe a bit much.) The short shift gear shift knob is a Voodoo aluminum knob that I had Joe powder coat black with the shift pattern etched and filled in white.
A little closer shot. All the surfaces -- other than the metalized plastic on the dash, console, and doors -- is black leather, but, all in all, it looks pretty stock, even though not one piece you see is original. Every piece was redone.
I kind of like this rear under valance I had made out of aluminum. It replaces the stock black plastic one that always melts where the cutout is for the exhaust tip. My exhaust exits downwards before the valance, so there's no cutout for a tip or any tip for that matter. Fits exactly as the stock unit.
And, of course, I really like the front grille surround I had made out of aluminum as well, which I'm still finishing off with the new screen and emblem.
I love this photo taken behind the driver's seat. It all looks completely stock, but, again, it isn't. Everything is black leather (the same leather hides BMW uses), including the bins.
And I had them repeat the bin ribbing pattern in a few other places, like the subwoofer box in the rear.
This closeup of the ashtray is interesting, because, while you can see that the ashtray is chrome, you don't notice that the entire console is metal as well, but painted black. The area surrounding the console is black leather and the seats are red leather.
Here's the console area after being plated and painted.
Here's the back of one of the door pieces, showing the copper plating a bit.
One of the things I've always hated is not just plastic in the interior, but plastic vanes in the air conditioning and heating vents. So, I had them taken apart, and actually individually chromed and then reassembled. You don't notice them very much, but you do notice them when you're driving. The black plastic vents themselves are, of course, also metal plated and painted black.
