With turbocharging comes fuel management concerns. Luckily, the RX-8 kit includes a pre-programmed GReddy e-manage. Using the factory fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator and injectors Shaw's vehicle was tested and tuned at 235 wheel hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. This resulted in a power increase of more than 60 wheel hp and 50 ft-lb of torque over stock at a mere 6 psi of boost.
Given the extra grunt, Shaw found the stock stoppers lacking, especially when facing the daily grind. A pair of Grex 355mm chrome six-piston calipers and a four-pot 330mm rear package stuffed with Grex street pads deliver form and function to the rotary. Accompanying those stoppers are Ro_Ja R2-5 wheels, which are manufactured by Rays Engineering. They're sized 19x8.5 inches up front. Engulfing these front rollers is a set of 245/35-19 BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tires. Maximum traction out back is maintained with 19x9.5s wrapped in 275/35-19 rubber.
Once the power upgrades were complete, Shaw finessed the sheet metal. With the help of good friend and car crewmember RJ de Vera, the duo managed to track down and freight a D1GT front bumper, vented hood and Carbon type III GT wing from Veilside Japan. Shawn of Street Concepts, located in Huntington Beach, Calif., installed the kit while MOB Works of Orange, Calif., applied coats of factory titanium gray, along with flat-black accents on the hood and the rear end. Vinyl Mayhem applied authentic GReddy logos to the nearly complete vehicle.
The only thing lacking was the interior. Street Concepts was on hand once again to spruce up the upholstery, re-skinning the Sparco Monza front seats, arm rests, door panels and factory rear seats in custom blue and black suede. Equipped with a set of Prodrive/Sabelt four-point harnesses, the days of sliding around on the factory seats seem to be a thing of the past. A quick call to Dan and Scott of Prodrive USA proved successful as a set of harnesses, a steering wheel and removable hub were deliered the following week.
No show car interior would be complete without a custom audio system. Toiling for five grueling days, Shaw became a hermit as he sat in his garage, neglecting his family and annoying his neighbors with the drone of power tools throughout the night. A Scosche 680-amp battery supplies the power to the three JBL amplifiers. One powers two 10-inch JBL W10GTi subwoofers. Another powers the two rear speakers, and the last supplies juice to the front speakers, which rest in custom-mounted pods. It's a grand total of 4,600 watts! Scosche Accumat Hyperflex sound-deadening material lines the trunk, floor and transmission tunnels to tame the vibrations. A Scosche 200-amp battery isolator ensures the system won't drain the starting battery while the car is off and recharges the Scosche battery when the car is on. To complete the trunk, cold cathode tubes bathe the trunk in a blue hue for shows-and a little bling!
Dropping a large sum of money into the four-wheeled cash cow paid off for Shaw and GReddy as the RX-8 was awarded the prestigious Ford Design award at the 2004 Sema show. Future plans call for a complete vehicle makeover and perhaps a full engine buildup to take this rotary to the next level.