How-To: Redline Goods e-brake boot install

[kansei]

This is the boot in question:
http://www.redlinegoods.com/Protege9903shiftboot.shtm

You have two choices with installing this.

Do what I had done for years and just put the boot on and tuck the excess down into the hole the e-brake handle comes out from.
Install it properly.


Supplies:
All you need to install it is a sharp box cutter.

Steps:

Remove the trim piece around the e-brake handle. To do this, pull up the e-brake handle, then open the little storage bin under the arm rest. Reach in around the e-brake handle and just pull up on it. There's a handful of clips that hold the piece in but it should come out with minimal effort. At the leading edge of it (where it meets with the trim piece around the shifter) there are two tabs that slide in, so when it comes out it will unclip and then you need to pull it away from the shifter a bit.
Remove the rubber piece that surrounds the e-brake handle. There are 8 tabs holding it in (you can see it removed in most of the pictures). It is soft rubber so you just squeeze on the tabs and it comes out. Be careful, it's quite easy to tear this piece. The part number may be B30D-64-432 or B30D-64-482, I can confirm this later.
The basic process is trimming the edge of the e-brake boot such that it matches the tabs on the rubber piece. You can squeeze the rubber piece inside the e-brake boot to use it as a template for making the cuts. I didn't make the tabs on the leather boot as deep as the ones on the rubber piece, as I didn't think there would be enough left over for the boot to fit onto the e-brake comfortable. Make sure you have the boot stretched as much as will be needed to span the perimeter of the trim piece opening.
Now it's time to attach the boot to the trim piece. Start at the top and get the stitching aligned. You'll have to pry on the plastic a bit to get it to fit, the leather is quite thick where the double stitch is. Once you get this tab in, do the tab to the left and right of that one. After those, do the one at the other end of the boot, it'll be another tight one. The two tight ones do the job of holding it all in. Get the rest of the tabs in, you'll want to play around with getting them all in most of the way and then one by one finish pulling them in.
Reinstall the trim piece/boot. If your e-brake is as loose as mine is, you may want to lower it a bit before doing this. Slide the handle through the hole and get it all situated. Then, insert the two tabs where the trim piece mates with the shifter surround/cupholder piece. Press in the rest of the clips, and close the lid over the storage bin.
Marvel in the beauty


Photos:
All of the photos can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clauretano/sets/72157606580025666/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/2739058659_380cec6ca4.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/2739061621_3a419ce057.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/2739064435_47199f747b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2739067391_4fcc690206.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2739069175_87ac533cea.jpg

This pic shows how loose my e-brake is :/
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/2739920086_f5d64ca9ea.jpg

Installed Photos:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/2739915396_59425a8d84_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3215/2739911786_25fd2a8f78_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2739909412_6ab61cb3d2_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2739918140_82ce370bde_b.jpg

[ForceFed]

Nice...Never knew they made these.

I will be adding that to my "must Have" list.

Where can I get them....?
Yellow stitched like the 03.5?

[kansei]

You can do a ton of customizing with it. When I bought my first set and this set, they weren't made by redlinegoods but were hand made by "shaundarbie" over on the other forum. He must have sold the designs because if you look on the page for the product, the second pic of the shift boot is the one in my car right now. For reference, the set I have is the black leather with silver stitching. I had the black leather with red stitching before that. The price has come down a decent bit too which is nice.

oh right.. *adds the link to the top of the first post*

http://www.redlinegoods.com/Protege9903shiftboot.shtm

click on what you want to buy and then be amazed at the level of customization they allow.

[Judman13]

oMG that is beautiful. i soo want them but not even on the needs list!!
Very very nice!!!!!!!

[njaremka]

looks nice. glad to see that they finally made them a replacement for the rubber piece, and not just "shoved" inside it. i told them from day one that they should have done that, but they told me it couldnt be done. (ghey) if they had listened, i would have one. i dont want to spend the money now.

[kansei]

looks nice. glad to see that they finally made them a replacement for the rubber piece, and not just "shoved" inside it. i told them from day one that they should have done that, but they told me it couldnt be done. (ghey) if they had listened, i would have one. i dont want to spend the money now.

well.. I don't think they changed a thing. Mine is from years ago (when they were made by shaundarbie not redlinegoods) .. they just say "trim the leather to match the tabs on the rubber piece". The leather is thick so not all that easy to trim :P

Oh and I figured out why mine got pulled out a bit.. you have to slide it another inch or so onto the ebrake. I did and took another pic but my net connection is being mega slow right now so I can't upload the pics.

[MazdaTom]

Hmmm..... $50 for an parking brake boot..... think I'll pass. But it does look pretty good.