Rob,
Legal is relative. I'm not trying to obfuscate the question on the table, but I am trying my best to give you good advice. There is a line in the rule book that escapes me, but to paraphrase, it speaks to the intent of the protest of an illegal car. The purpose of the rule is to prevent protests of factors that really would not have changed the outcome of the race. In other words, the rules don't say you can remove the cigarette lighter. But if you were to protest your fellow competitor at a local race for a $3 trophy, the protest would not be carried, even though, in the letter of the rule book one could argue it's illegal to remove the lighter. So your comment of the hatch shocks or the wash bottle would be weak. However, if the race were for a National Championship and the lap times were within a tenth of a second of other competitors I would make sure those items were in. Then again, if you feel your fellow competitor at a local race is running high compression pistons and or cams, and you have the money to put down for a protest, then it would be taken seriously.
Hope in some strange way this helps you understand.

I was asked why we dont remove the front passenger seat from the acura. Even though this IS within the rules my answer was :

" How much faster do you think that will make you? "

And that in a nut shell is what the stewarts are going to be considering if there were a protest for a washer bottle, lighter, or rear hatch shock mounts. 

Just take them out if you think it will help.