Quick update:

Purchased Motion Raceworks Steering quick release based on i.e.427's recommendations as he is building my turn signal hub part.

I've decided to move forward with a hard top for the cobra from 427hardtops. May buy me 2 more months of driving weather up here in ND.

Questions:

Please help direct me to a forum thread discussing exhaust routing to the rear of my MK4. I can't seem to find one using the search function. I remember seeing a post one time with someone drilling 3" holes in the tubular rear frame for another round pipe welded in for a pass through. I'm very interested in this particular mod for the roadster. I would keep the side pipes, but add dual exhaust cutouts (really acting as side pipe cutoffs, where open is both exhaust systems and closed is only stealth exhaust), that run exhaust to the quietest muffler/maybe cat system I can fit in the roadster. I don't care if it dumps exhaust in front or behind the rear tire, out the back etc. I'd rather not even see the hidden exhaust on the outside. I would even give up trunk space to wall off an area for the muffler system. Stealth exhaust used to come and go from my neighborhood for sound and on longer drives when I don't need the extra power or sound. If I can accomplish this, I may go with standard volume side pipes instead of touring versions as I would have a quieter option. As a possible added benefit, it may prevent the loss of around 50 horse power from using touring side pipes because the open position allows exhaust to go through both systems reducing restriction to some degree.

1: Can it be done while still having side pipes
2: Where is the best place to rout the exhaust
3: Where can I mount the muffler or mufflers (I don't mind a Y pipe with one exhaust to one large muffler as this is only about the quietest exhaust possible in a cobra)
4: Any downside to doing this? Will my ECU constantly be struggling with the engine if the cutouts are turned on and off? Is there a way to have the cut out switch change to a different ECU profile (could be a valet mode that limits throttle/power/rev limit so I could let others drive the car?)

Thanks guys. I'll keep looking