I got my car back this week from TC Design Fab and spent time yesterday adapting Mazdaspeed’s package shelf to the new cage. It had been suggested to me that I simply use foil tape to cover the seat belt mounts in order to comply with the SCCA’s GCR, but I wanted a cleaner finish than that.

Adapting the package shelf sheet metal requires a fair bit of cutting with tin/aviation snips but isn’t terribly difficult. In order to do this yourself you will need:

  1. Package Tray Kit from Mazda Speed, P/N 0000-07-5801
  2. Set of tin snips or aviation snips
  3. High quality rivet tool and 1/8″ rivets. Use a good quality rivet tool like the one from Advanced Tool Design or Longacre. The rivet tools sold at most auto parts stores are junk and won’t hold up.
  4. Cordless drill with bits good enough for use on sheet metal
  5. (Optional) Dremel with bit for metal grinding.

The basic steps in the job are (for each piece):

  1. Rough install and mark each piece for cut-outs required to clear cage bars
  2. Use tin/aviation ships to cut out
  3. Grind off the rough edges of the sheet metal cuts
  4. Install each piece in place
  5. Secure in place with bolts or rivets. If using rivets, then first drill rivet hole (in some cases through several pieces of sheet metal). Insert 1/8″ rivet(s) and use your rivet tool to finish the rivet(s).

Once complete, the new cage and package shelf form a nice-looking combo.

New Cage and Shelf

Cage and Package Shelf

Package Shelf Modified for Cage

Package Shelf Modified for Cage - Bolted and Rivited Into the Chassis

Sealing off the old seat belt mount is better accomplished by installation of the kit components at the same time as the cage is installed. Mine wasn’t done that way, so I had to cut the kit parts fairly significantly and then rivet in place.

Sealed Off Seat Belt Mount

Sealed Off Seat Belt Mount

Kirkey Road Race Deluxe Seat

Kirkey Road Race Deluxe Seat w/ Schroth Profi II 6-point Harness