i know why you did it but with your skills you could have a really clean car and the power it can make weight isnt really the problem. i would have never cut anything till i maxed out the car were it was just me. by the way stretch has a nice hatch with a one piece front end if thats what you want. Also go h2b and screw thr shifting problems or keep dumping money into into that piece h tranny lol. i have replaced the shift linkage four times in the si and i hardly ever race it thats why i went h2b tired of dealing with that cable crap.