drop in k&n is a fine choice... $30 ebay cai + 45 minute DIY homemade heat shield and a k&n cone would be better is all i was getting at through out this thing. sorry it got so all over the place

as for that k&n cai.... i dont know where you found that guy... i meant this one:
<-- click it
the K&N FIPK II cai in a box w/ heat shield!

 

what i was thinking tho is buying a 26$ K&N filter and put it in the stock air filter box. that pulls more air, and its WAY cheaper. then i could buy the cragar soft 8's you suggested for me too

 

Not a bad plan you've got there

 

yeah buddy

 

OMG, whats a CAI?
It takes air in from OUTSIDE the engine compartment (un-engine heated air) & draws it into the engine.
That why a heatsheild is so important to make these work properly. No heat sheild & you only have an extention of the trottle body. Sure it sounds great, but for performance/economy, nah, notta, nothing without a heat sheild.
Sheild the engine heat away from the CAI, like what ABN said: duct it, PVC or something from an outside source of air ( that would be cool), otherwise it'll just sound better... not quite a quote but I think you get the jist of it

 

Wanted to add my 2cents on this just for the hell of it and hope that it helps.

The engine bay is hot, your tubing runs above or next to the block... No matter what you do, the "cold air" is going to end up being heated by the time it gets to where it needs to go. Two solutions, one will def. work the other...well it may.

1. K&N filter replacement from stock. Create cowl hood or hood scoop above filter on hood. Simple and extremely effective. "Cold Air" reaches filter from directly outside and straight to chamber. No heat shield, only need valve to keep water from going in, likeliness of that, possibility.

2. Create your own "CAI". Difficult to create it w/o dealing with alot of hotair in the end. Buy a CAI from K&N or anyone else, run the vheicle for a bit and then park and open hood, proceed to touch the CAI tube, is it hot? Yes, then your getting hot air. No, then your good to go.

When at get to the point of working on CAI, i'll be trying my theory of K&N filter with hood scoop. Till then, i'm just throwing ideas out there and what i've experienced. I had an Injen Intake on my 97' Sunfire I had w/ a heat sheild. Yeah, it was just for looks. The only difference it made was nice deep throttle sound when driving. Outside of that, it was hot and was next to the block and to the side for cool air. The CAI version still was next to the engine block so no matter what I did, still would have warm/hot air by the time it got done.

 

any one got a good tip about making my own cold air intake if i had the money i would buy one

 

All the time. At least once every time I go through the gears. Red light, stop sign, even passing people I usually hit 4500-5000 at least once.