I do think your box will work but I would insulate it and all of the tubing you run to it real good. Hot air defiantly cuts down the horsepower. Aluminum really soaks up heat quickly. It if does not put much of a ram air effect on it and it is getting too hot in there you may try putting one hose to force cool air in the front and one hose to draw the hot air out the back. That way the filter will always have fresh cool air. There would always be a bunch of air moving through there so it would not have time to get hot.
I am curious to know how it works out and will try to keep an eye on thid thread. Curly

 

I'm going to try to fab up something custom if an aftermarket company doesn't come out with a good design soon. Glad to see someone else doing it.

 

Spectre Performance in Ontario, California is looking for an HHR to use for a prototype.
I emailed them and from what I can tell they can make what ever we want and they seem reasonably priced. They said send them pictures and drawings etc of what we want. They also have a very large K & N style cone filter.

I would like to see one that uses large filter put over on the drivers side in front of the core support. Down low, facing down to prevent it getting water in it. I think the inlet tube should go from the side to the throttle body instead of on top of the engine to draw heat. The tube could be easily insulated to help it even more. Curly

 

I looked at my HHR better under the hood and there is just not much room to put the tube out in front of the engine compartment. So it looks like it will be more difficult than I thought. Curly

 

The best way to handle it would be via a hood scoop. But who wants to cut a hole in their hood? I would personally love to get a fiberglass hood with a scoop in it already-perhaps a NACA duct. Save weight, cut down on under hood heat, provide nice cold ram air.

 

i have found exactly where the tubing has to go and a 3 in pipe parely fits through there. as for insulation, im using PVC pipe for the intake tubes. the only yhing that is aluminum is the box and this is just a prototype. i plan to make a fiberglass version once this one is on and working. as for updates. school just started and work has groaned to a crawl. i will try to get some stuff done or you guys so you can see what i created. its not pretty. personally the box is ugly and what i had to do for the maf looks stupid, but its all in the name of science.

 

Hmmm. I'm gonna go play under my hood now.

 

I remember seeing an air intake,that went right to lower grille and it had a cover for rain.Does anyone remember seeing anything like this ???

TIA

 

Funny you should say that. I was looking under my hood before and pondering. If it went to the right, it would be farther away from that hot engine. And there seems to be more room to run a tube down under the car.

Call me crazy, but without an air box there is an awful lot of room behind the engine. I know it would go near the exhaust manifold, but what about an air pickup under the car? Just thinking out loud. Could even be a box with the filter in it on top of the engine, then the feed tube running behind the motor pointing straight down. No water could get in, and as you drive, the venturi effect could help the air go into the engine. Could even shape it like a funnel for better flow. I am thinking the opening could be near the oil drain plug. And, to insulate from heat, the tube could be wrapped with insulating tape.

 

Just checkng in to see where you are at on it. Curly