Well, it was another crappy day here in Southern California (3/28/04) so I decided to take some pictures of my sunlight silver "Mazdaspeed" RX-8.

I've added the Mazdaspeed exhaust, front and rear strut bars and front and rear sway bars. Also added this weekend were the aluminum foot pedals.

I haven't installed the K&N intake. I'm waiting for my fuel mileage issue to be addressed by Mazda. I don't want the intake to be a "reason" for my poor gas mileage.

 

Good color choice! My friend races for mazda and I get all the mazdaspeed parts at race driver price...yay! I can't wait until i can start putting stuff on my car...then you'll almost have a twin..but with a girl driving it!

 

nice pics! can you tell us if the engine cover still fits over the MS strut tower brace? Rosenthal said it would.

Also, was it hard to install the rear brace? you didn't cut away at much. looks good!

...oh yeah, and before and after driving impressions too please. thanks!

 

Thanks everyone.

Didn't try putting the cover on. I'll give it a try tomorrow. I do, though, like the look without it; otherwise you would cover up the strut bar.

Thanks for the compliments on the "cut." Putting on the rear strut bar wasn't difficult. Just remove the interior cover pieces and expose the strut towers. I will say, the Mazdaspeed instructions for the rear strut install were pretty good. To make my cuts I placed the trim pieces in their place and felt for the brace. Then I took a knife and cut where I felt the brace was located. Finally, I "pushed" the trim pieces over the slots to expose the brace and attached the bar. I tried this and it worked, otherwise I would have the "square cut" that's in the instructions.

I haven't really had a chance to test out the new mods. Two things, though, based upon my initial driving. (1) Maybe it's just me, but the braking seems more solid as the entire car feels firmer. (2) Today I made a tight U-turn in traffic and *wow* the front REALLY gripped through the turn, it surprised me.

More impressions to follow...

 

One thing that I don't quite understand about making a CF strut brace. Its got a nice look to it but, I thought CF had great tensile (pulling from both sides) strength and would crumple as soon as it was pushed together so doesn't that mean that making a strut bar out of CF is purely aesthetic?

 

What I can say (and I'm sure you already know this) but CF is VERY strong. Yes it may possibly crumble if under load but by that point I'm was either in an accident or about to be in one.

No doubt, Mazdaspeed took the time to design this piece. Hell, they even included a "brace" that's used to help secure the master cylinder during hard braking. For "street" use that's very rare to find that already designed in a strut bar. The shop where I did the installs was very impressed with the design and quality of the front strut bar.

 

I thought it was just a CF cover over a metal bar -- not a complete CF bar. I think the CF "look" is purely aesthetic.

 

wow
everything looks great
nice "mazdaspeed" rx8

 

It didn't fit... well if i shoved it over the bar it could have...


Thanks mikeb.

 

The hexaust sounds good???

 

your exhaust is cool. I like that a lot.

 

The MS exhaust is VERY quiet. The sound is what I believe the car should sound like stock. Can't hear it/notice it with the windows up. Very slight tone in the lower RPMs and I can only hear it with the windows down and the radio off.

If you want a quiet exhaust, this is the one.

For me, I probably would have liked something with a bit more sound but I want to keep my car 99.9% Mazdaspeed parts. It would be 100% except I have the K&N intake.

 

great pics and good color choice as well. the car looks awesome man. i can't wait either to soon start modifying mine.

 

BOOOOO AUTO!

nice car though. :D

 

Could you take a picture of why it doesn't fit i'm getting the IPT carbon fiber engine cover but i'd also like to get this.

 

Here's how mine sits with the strut bar...

 

IPT said they designed their CF cover to fit w the MS bar.
I sent IPT a PM asking if they'd worked it out,earlier tonight,
but no reply,as of yet.
I most def rather have the CF bar than the CF cover,though both'd be very,very cool!

 

Nice pics,btw!

 

All that for Auto funny funny, but each with there own.