Project Eclipse: Functional upgrades

The RS model is very basic. There is always room for some improvement. In the span of a few months since the car was purchased, a few functional improvements have been made. (Prices in Canadian dollars and current between of July 2007 to July 2008)

1. Power door locks and keyless entry

This was accomplished during the initial sound system installation phase. With the panels were removed, it seem to be a good time to install electric door lock solenoids and remote release. I obtained a complete set from eBay for about $45. The added bonus to the generic kit I obtained is that it allows the fob to be integrated with the key.



2. Power trunk / hatch release solenoid

The remote keyless receiver has provisions for a third channel to operate anything (from lights to trunk release). A $25 remote trunk kit from eBay proved sufficient.



3. GS/GST center console assembly

The RS came with a basic open console without an arm rest. The GS/GST console included a padded armrest as well as other hidden storage spaces (perfect for an ipod). I obtained one from eBay for $40



4. Seat belt positioner

I borrowed this idea from the Spyder model which has a loop to position the front seatbelts. These loops mount on the headrest posts and aligns the belts better for the front passengers. Unfortunately I could not a Spyder donor vehicle so I obtained a pair from a Pontiac sunfire and modded the holes to fit / align with those of the Eclipse



5. Upper front, rear upper and lower stress bars

Many will argue as to the functionality of the front bar for the eclipse (lack of triangulated support). The rear bars, however, add a noticeable amount of improvement to chassis stiffness. A chassis that flexes less during cornering provides better handling.
Made of thick-walled aluminum tube with welded steel brackets and bolt adjusters, these were obtained from eBay for about $75 for the entire 3-piece set


(Front upper stress bar installed)


(Rear upper stress bar installed between shock towers. The tower access covers have been modified slightly)


(Rear lower suspension tie bar installed)

6. Front fog lamps

The stock eclipse bumper has openings for fog lamps / driving lights. OEM style replacement lights for the eclipse go for about $200 dollars up. I found a generic set from a dismantling yard for $10 and modified it to fit into the stock location. The plastic inserts were also modified and custom brackets were made to hold the assemblies in place. The lights I got look blue when turned off yet produce a bright yellow fog light beam when on. The aim here was to make it look stock.






7. Better low beams

Daytime running lights or DRLs are required in Canada. One thing I noticed with the car was that the low beams seemed a little bit more dim than average. At first I though the aftermarket DRL controller that was installed in the vehicle for Canadian certification was not providing full voltage (Some DRL's run at only 75% and then go to full power when the headlights are switched on). I obtained a pair of NRG Synergy Optics 55W 9006 bulbs from ebay for $10. They provided a much whiter light but not too white to blind incoming traffic. When I removed the existing bulbs, I noticed that they were only 51W Stanleys.



8. Video Backup Camera

Canadian tire had the newer model VR3 wireless rear view camera on sale for $75. This had the bigger 3.5 screen and a license plate mounted camera assembly. The camera picks up power from the reverse lights and the display unit mounts anywhere in front and can be powered via the cigarette lighter or hardwired. The disadvantage to wireless mode is that the monitor works in the 2.4GHz frequency. This means that it picks up "noise" from various devices including microwaves ovens, cordless phones, internet routers, bluetooth headsets and even security cameras. An alternate way for the monitor to receive a trigger signal from the camera is a direct connection. This is accomplished by a 15 foot patch cable (1/8 to 1/8 inch stereo cable) running between the camera and the monitor. With this method, the monitor receives trigger signal and power directly from the camera.



Finding a place for the monitor was a bit tricky. I did not want it cluttering the dash so I modified the parcel shelf under the Sony deck to accept the monitor assembly. The monitor is sunk into the shelf about 5 inches deep into the dash and at an angle. This way, it is almost unnoticeable when not in use but completely visible when activated.





Visibility with the camera is excellent even in extremely dark and poorly lit or rainy conditions.

9. Front Tow Ring

The Eclipse's front bumper is quite low even with stock tires and suspension. While this looks good, it is very common to hit and scrape the Eclipse's front clip at most commercial parking lots that have concrete parking curb bumpers. To prevent this, I wanted some sort of "armor". I figured that one of those tow hooks mounted horizontally under the bumper should do the trick. The hook does not need to be functional for towing but will serve as a bump guard and hit the parking curbs first. A quick look at eBay and I found a couple of aluminum universal hooks for $75. While they seem to be good and sturdy, that price is too much for the purpose that I have in mind.

A quick trip to home depot and I got a 6 inch diameter cast iron plumbing flange, a 12 inch reinforcement bar and 2 short bolts for about $7. After cutting off the central threaded portion of the flange with a dremel, I bolted it to the bar. A quick spray with primer and some flat black paint and I have my mock towing ring. Cheap, simple and easily replaced if needed.



10. Leatherette seat covers

The RS has cloth seats. Very plain. I wanted to change the color and see how black seats would look with the gray interior. I purchased a set of leatherette semi-custom fit seat covers from eBay for about $45. (It also came with 4 piece floormats that I'm keeping as spare). My original intention was to purchase real leather replacement covers for all the seat surfaces if I liked what I saw. Unfortunately, I only kept the seat covers on for a few months and just gave the existing upholstery a thorough cleaning.


(Partially visible is the original RS center console without the arm rest)