Forget about thick cardboard, you MUST use something that can stop a blade, that means plywood or heavy gauge metal etc. Too bad Shocker didn't have that note in his instructions before I did mine, it would have saved me too.

I went through mine because the template is in FACT too small especially if you have the throttle body spacer. I cut from the top down just as suggested but the filter would not fit inside the opening. When I went back to trim more off the sides, I knicked the condensor. If the template had been correct in the first place I'd be a wealthier man today.

That being said, I want to thank Shocker for his terrific write-up, it is indeed better than the supplied instructions and is certainly more professional in appearance and more informative.

Here are some useful notes for those who are ready for the mod.

1) Removing the shroud is more of a pain than it's worth (yes, even after repairing my condensor, I still believe this). Just put a barrier between the shroud and condensor and you'll be done in no time. Trust me, you will most likely NEVER take the time to re-install the stock shroud, you'll simply cover up the hole and sell the car and that's IF you ever take the VR out.

2) I just helped Tony B install his "pre-cut" shroud and guess what... his cutout was larger than the template Vararam sent me!!! And then, we still had to trim more off!!! What does this mean? It means even if you buy a pre-cut shroud you may still need to trim it, so don't tighten anything before you test fit the filter.

3) If you have a throttle body spacer, it's going to be an even tighter fit. Try removing 1 or 2 rubber spacers from the front bracket, it'll buy you a fraction of an inch and put the assembly on a slightly better angle.

4) Reverse the direction of the bracket screws so the philips head is inside the filter box. I have no idea how they expect us to get a screwdriver on it the other way. A stubby philips will fit inside the box and use a wrench on the outside. I also used one of the extra rubber spacers as a washer on the inside of the VR because they drilled right through the corners of the plastic. This will make sure you don't over-tighten the screws and break the plastic. Note: If you have a small 90 degree screwdriver you can probably skip this step.

5) Re-install the stock torx bolts to attach the bracket to the front frame. There is no reason to use the supplied allen bolts and it will keep you from losing the stock ones in case you ever re-install the stock intake.

6) My advice is to only spray filter oil on the outer side of the filter and then let it saturate before starting the car, you don't want any excess oil coating your MAF sensor.

7) Think about getting a screen or grille to block leaves from entering the duct. A couple leaves sucked in will block it completely off. I ordered a Racemesh grille and it can't come soon enough this time of year. It may defeat some of the ram effect but I find this option better than checking the filter every week.

8) If you still plan on removing your shroud, an extra set of hands helps.

9) There are tons of posts about this same subject which may make some people shy away from this simple mod. It really only takes about an hour if you cut the shroud in place, but precautions need to be taken first. Take your time cutting and look everything over before you begin and test fit as you go.

10) Just so I have 10 rounded steps, remember to protect your fenders, you'll be leaning over them a lot.

Disclaimer: I will not, cannot, and should not be held accountable for anything you do with this information. I accept no risk or responsibility for anything included or missed. Happy modding.

 

The template is ridiculously small. The original plastic piece that I removed fit the template perfectly.

I then spent the next hour shaving off pieces on all sides and particularly the bottom to get the darn thing to sit low enough to connect with the intake.

VARARAM ARE YOU LISTENING?

 

Joe, Mike and I put his VR installed tonight. Went really well. I dug up a piece of 1/2 partical board 19" x 14". It sat right on the air deflector and protected the AC condensor. After 2 hrs. the car was running, tools cleaned up and we were just relaxing waiting for the car to warm up to retighten the TB. BTW had no trouble today driving in the rain. Thanks for your help with my install.