Taking on the Leaf system takes some guts - from what I've read it is a highly integrated unit and difficult to hack. I have been watching the Electric Samba VW project. I haven't landed on a battery design yet, but I'm leaning away from anything too hacked-up, just not sure how to explain why the garage burned down to the wife
I made some posts tonight on the "DIY Electric Car" forum about starting to reverse engineer the iBooster brake system from the Model S (with autopilot) and the Tesla 100% electric AC compressor. So far the AC compressor looks like it will be straightforward. The iBooster (a no vacuum, 100% hydraulic & electric) brake system is going to be much more involved to figure out.
This weekend I'm just hoping to get the front suspension back in the car. If everything goes good I should have one of those 'suspension money shots' by Sunday. I won't have the calipers in yet as I'm still powder coating them (a slow process with a small volume oven).