I spent several hours at the custom shop today (6/7/97). We accomplished a number of things, including some you and I had just talked about. The side markers, first of all, are perfect. They are a series of 5 slots, something like: =========================== =============================== =================================== =============================== =========================== approximately 1" tall by 6" long. Amber slits in the front (centered about an inch below, and two inches forward, of original markers) and red in back, 1" lower and 1" further back. I really like them. I may kill an end bulb in the upper and lower LED strips on each side (of the tail lights) just to carry this new theme. The gas cap had always been a pain to get to. Now it's moved up several inches, and basically is serviced by a hatch cut up and into the back panel area (starting at the lip over the license plate) producing a locking, hinged access port about 7" wide by 5" high. We'll probably lower the license plate 3" and weld metal into the gap, just for appearance. The original fiberglass rear spoiler "rested" on the back edge of the car's rear deck, creating a gap visible from the sides. I did not care for that, and Ed mis-fired on my instructions and set it up that way for the new spoiler. That's fixed now, and the end pieces are welded to the car, creating slots in the spoiler that come straight back from the trunk lid edges. Looks better to me. At one point three torches and a grinder were going on at one time. Car fires are a real concern, and the extinguisher has been used a couple of times already. The wider rear fender shaping was finished today, and they'll be primed and blocked next week. I took extensive pictures of the dash area, so that I can design the new interior shape in the cockpit section. It won't be different in concept; it will look like the same concept in a later model. The instrument panel top edge will be about 1.5" higher than stock, and will extend lower. The "ledge" that the lights and wiper controls were mounted on will be replaced by an angled (perhaps 45°) panel. Any thoughts on switches? Perhaps low-profile rockers and knobs, with pinpoint LEDs for annunciators? Silk-screened panels should provide a "finished" look. Stereo is a Pioneer FHP-85. It is a "double-DIN" unit, meaning that it is 4" high rather than 2". It has disc and title memory, full multi-color graphic equalizer display, and a nice remote. It is hooked to good speakers, has a build-in CD player plus controls for the 50-CD changer in the back, and the front door folds down to reveal a full logic cassette deck. What you WONT see is massive amps and the like; I am not into that sort of music or volume. The steering wheel was a head scratcher. I was desirous of something different (perhaps you'd have guessed that), but the "yoke" style wheels don't have a place to rest your hand in the bottom center, or top center. I've been tracking my own driving habits and noticed that I tend to do that. So, I've got a wheel on the way that is elliptical (actually sort of squared-oval) rather than round, and it solves the problem. Still in discussions between the Paxton folks and my engine team. The Holley ProJection 750 will be in place and smoothed out before the supercharger is installed, if we can do all of that in the next month. Color: polo green (used on 94-up Cadillacs). It's a _very_ dark green - looks black unless the sun is out, and looks metalflake in the sun. Interior: medium grey or dark green - what do you think? In either case, the dash would be slightly darker than the seats, with the upper portion of the doors matching the dash, and the lower portion matching the seats. Not a strong contrast, just elegant. Instruments: amber. Blue and green were available (sheesh, even pink), but amber is rarely used, so I used it. Seats with power recline plus quick release back, power lumbar support, heater, and eight-way positioning are in hand. The back seats won't be electric. I now have a completely internal AM-FM antenna that does not even attach to the window. The flat surface to the right of the cockpit (where the "grab-handle" is) is becoming a clamshell door whose upper section folds up to be a sun screen, and lower section folds out flat to become a keyboard. In the middle is a 12" color LDC screen. Its capabilities will be increased as it ties into the sender network in parallel with the electronic instruments. Glove compartment below, slide-out tray in between. Center armrest from a '96 Fleetwood, with two compartments, and drink holders - I like the one I'm using now. No "dome" light - strip lights, limo-style, running around edges of headliner. I'm still debating about an outside pinstripe. If I do that, it will light up green or amber at night. Green would match the car, but I don't want some idiot to hit it because he saw a green light. It would be 1/3" tall and 16 feet long, but... The air-cleaner carving will be done Wednesday, and I got some more photos today of things in progress that I'll pop along as soon as I have them one-hour-photo'd (takes two days). Nothing very dramatic, but I may be able to mock-up a photo of the new panel in place which would look nice.