Where could I pick up these brackets, as I do not know of a junk yard close to me that I could find these parts.

www.planetmiata.com

go to their website, email or call them, and ask for the brackets. they have a price list on their site.

I have heard (cannot remember where) that stainless lines on a miata are strictly a "bling" thing, as the stock lines are not plain rubber but are actually lined with an anti-expansion coating. I cannot remember where I heard this; might have been miata.net, might have been GRM, dunno.

I also know that plenty of people put the stainless lines on and report back that their pedal feel is greatly improved.

Can anyone verify that the stock brake lines are not plain rubber?

no need to verify anything, sounds like a boogus statement, one that I've never heard of.

I'll 2nd the notion that stainless steel lines greatly improved pedal feel. "anti-expanding coating" or not, brand new stainless steel lines are better than anything mazda put on 15 years ago.

if you happen to see a spare set of front 1.8 calipers and brackets, I'll happily pay you for them and your time. I have a set of sport brakes that might be for sale too.

The 1.8 brakes are better, but like Brainey mentioned the pads are the key.

I'm running 1.8 brakes with carbotech xp10 front and xp8 rear at the track and on the street. They're really noisey on the street but are amazing on the track, actually to me they feel better than hawk blues without all the toxic dust and rotor decimation.