I'm thinking of buying this product and was wondering what you think if you have it installed (or know someone who does). Also, I don't want to do any drilling to the car as I want to be able to put it back to stock condition anytime I want, so I was curious if anyone can tell me how this system is installed? If I have to cut up the lower air box I'll probably just buy one from somebody, so mostly I'm concerned with drilling extra or larger holes in the front air deflector.

 

The install is pretty straight forward. You have to remove the airbox and perform the FRA mod. Basically that means you cut out the bottom of your air box leaving only the strip down the middle. Then the First scoop sits on the radiator and runs down behind it and bending forward at the bottom. Then when the airbox is reinstalled directly above the first scoop it holds it firmly in place. Then the second scoop inserts in the first one and with 5 screws you attatch it to the bottom of your front bumper. It sits far enough back so it doesn't stick out.

So if you ever wanted to go back to stock you would have two things different with your car. One is there would be five small holes in the bottom of your front bumper and the second is the bottom of your airbox would be cut out (Via the FRA mod that is part of the SSRA install instructions). Neither are a big deal IMO. I love my SSRA.

But I'm a little surprised your even considering this. With your WS-6 hood all you need is the BG ram air kit to seal up the gap and your just as good as any SSRA IMO.

 

Thanks for the info. The only reason I don't want the BG kit is because I would have to remove the baffles from behind the scoops (which I don't want to do).

 

I love mine, but there will be 5 screw holes in the front nose piece, and the FRA mods.

 

No problem. If you decide to go with SSRA there is one more thing you should consider. The current setup with your air box is that it draws air from the front. The SSRA is setup to draw air from beneath instead. To get a semi-preasurized ram-air flow you have to block or seal the front of the airbox where air is currently coming in from. The SSRA includes a rubber strip that hooks right on the front of your airbox to block that air entrance which is real nice. However that is designed for non-ram air vehicle. Your airbox is different from mine because it sits higher off the engine to allow the hood nostrils to feed in the air. Because of this that rubber sealer strip will not even come close to being able to properly seal the front of your air box.

So you would have two choices if you wanted the SSRA to perform the way it was intended with your WS-6. One is you can get some weather stripping or anything you can think of and fab something yourself. Second would be to get an airbox for a "regular" TA or Formula to replace the one you have now. I know you can get one new (any pontiac dealership can order it) for under $100. I priced the WS-6 one you have when I was considering an aftermarket hood and it was 90 bucks so I imagine the one I have that you would want should be about the same.

The advantage to going that route would be that you would be cutting up the bottom of the lower airbox so if you ever wanted to go back to stock you can put the higher airbox that you have sitting in the garage back on. Of course the disadvantage is your spending another ninety bucks.

Good Luck

 

Thanks for all the info. I knew I would end up buying another lower air box assembly so the extra ~$90 is not a big deal. I think I'll try to find a lower air deflector from a junkyard or someone who's parting their car out so I don't have to drill into mine. I am correct in thinking that the scoop screws to that air deflector and not the actual bottom of the painted bumper right?

 

No it screws into the actual painted bumper. But it's so far underneath you would have to be on your back and partially under the car to see the holes once the SSRA comes off. There are five holes facing upward in the front of the bottom scoop. You actually have to be on your back, under the car and using some good force upward to get the screws into the bottom of your front bumper. Some use a drill to make it a little easier but I didn't. My arm was hurting a little by the end of the fifth screw.

 

Am I correct in thinking that the FTRA system bolts to the air deflector then, or does it get attached the same way? If that's the case, maybe I'll go that route.

 

The FTRA does not have a bottom scoop so it does not attatch to anything underneath. It has a metal top scoop similair to the SSRA top scoop except it's metal instead of plastic. It has a deflector plate (or whatever you want to call it) that attatches to your radiator. This has caused peoples cars run a tad hotter then normal because it's metal on top of your radiator. The plate is supposed to guide the air into the scoop and create some form of a ram air affect. It's proven to work and unless your in a real hot/humid area like arizona or southern Texas it's not supposed to be a big deal.

Maybe someone with a FTRA can chime in though. My knowledge on that setup is not first hand but only on what I read about it when I was deciding between the two.

 

Cool, thanks for all the good info!