Now that the RX-8 has had some tweaking done to the power and handling departments it’s only fair to spread the wealth and put our own spin on the exterior, Vivid Racing style! We really get a kick out of being the first to pull something off on our project cars and with that being said we checked out the various body kits that were becoming available from Japan. Out of all the aero kits we saw there was something wickedly elegant about the AutoExe body kit. We set our mark and ordered the first kit to import to the US.
The kit is a lightweight, high quality fiberglass and comes with all necessary hardware; mesh pieces, and instructions- in Japanese. The supplied mesh comes uninstalled, which made painting easier. Once the kit was painted we pulled the car into the shop and began removing the stock bumpers. This is actually an easy task when done with a few people. Sure, it can be done with one person. But it’s usually a better time with a few coworkers, few Coronas, and a couple Zoolander quotes. The first thing to remember here is to think ahead and have a spot for all the little plastic screws and snaps that will eventually break or get lost over the course of the install. The whole kit can be done on the ground but we find it easier to use the lift and take the wheels off. This way saves you time and about 2 years on your back.
The front bumper is the best place to start. Mainly because once it’s on, it motivates you to finish the rear and sides. We started by removing the clear corners. That took all of about 5 min. Then came the task of removing all of the earlier mentioned plastic screws and snaps. There’s a crap load of them. And of course, they aren’t all the same. This is one thing that you’ll need to be patient with and execute finesse rather than muscle. If you try to force them out you’ll break them guaranteed and they wont fasten well when you reuse them and could cause gaps in the fitment. These are the small things that can make a good body kit look bad. Once all the fasteners were removed the bumper lifted off the radiator was revealed along with the dual oil coolers. You can now clearly see the intake extension leading to the air box under the hood. We test fitted the bumper and just like anything else slight modification was needed. The oil coolers have a rubber induction boot surrounding each one and were not allowing the bumper to seat properly. They are needed for the stock bumper because of Mazda’s not so generous cut outs for airflow. With the new bumper the openings are large enough to allow complete cooling for both oil coolers and plenty of flow for the radiator. With the boots removed the bumper was fitted into place and we began reinstalling our little plastic snappy-screw thingies. The really cool thing is that the stock plastic under tray is a direct fit for the AutoExe bumper, another good sign of a quality kit. Last thing was the clear corners.
The rear is done the same way by removing the plastic fasteners and removing bumper. You’ll need to remove the taillights, which is easily accomplished through the trunk. Peel back the trunk lining and remove the two nuts holding each light in and disconnect the leads to each bulb then just pop the light out. Also remove the license plate light, as you need to install it on the new bumper. The rear can be a little tricky but will go on smoothly if the section under the trunk lid is attached first and then the sides. Replace all the fasteners and then you can put the taillights back in. Don’t forget the screws holding up the rear wheel linings. Once done we were in the home stretch.
The side skirts are what gives the car that clean finished look and accentuates the ride height. Installing these requires drilling holes in the underside of the body for the supplied screws to pin the skirts to the car. Its best to step back and make sure they are level and straight before completely screwing them in. Make sure that you don’t over tighten the screws or the fiberglass will crack. These were particularly easy to install and the fit was very good. They have more of a shelf look rather than a flush-integrated look. They’re different and different is good.
Now that the whole kit is on the metamorphosis is complete. Our project car went into the garage a looking stock and somewhat humble and emerged a completely fresh look. The font end has a menacingly aggressive look with it’s larger openings, while the rear looks more finished like it should have from the factory, including the mesh at the bottom of the bumper letting the air flow through instead of being a wind break. The side skirts give it the low wide stance we were looking for. Now the car looks more the part it plays and turns heads everywhere it goes, making everyone curious as to what it was that they saw passing them on the left.