What's wrong with taking a block of 1/4" Al about the size of the pad, boring all the holes you need in it (countersunk on the bottom), putting some good adhesive on the heads and bolting it to the housing using [some of?] the holes Mazda provided?  You'd end up with all the studs you want at a weight penalty of a couple of ounces.
Just wonderin' ... Jim S.

Russell Duffy wrote:

Thus, is it possible and wise to drill more holes on
this pad?  Close up pictures of what lies beneath this
pad would be most appreciated...

Hi Scott,

Ask, and you shall receive (since I happen to have my old dead housing laying in the garage).  

 

It looks like you're going to hit water, or a tension bolt just about anywhere you drill.  You'll note that Mazda left extra steel behind the holes they needed to drill and tap.  I'd say you'd be wise to use the holes that are already there if you plan to bolt a mount to this pad.  

 

I just looked at the link, and see what you're trying to do.  If you want to use the stock fuel rail, remember that it always has a spacer under it, to raise it about 1/8" (don't recall the exact amount).  You could consider using a piece of steel angle, the thickness of the injector rail spacer in place of the normal plastic spacer.  With the proper sizing, and trimming, I bet that would work fine.  You could probably make it with aluminum too, but I don't know if 1/8" aluminum would be strong enough. 

 

Cheers,

Rusty (past my beer time)