Question about the stock cold air induction on a stang
 

Yea I noticed on my 96gt that you got the cold air box that the filter goes in, yea and then you have the tube that goes from the box to the engine but theres all this crap attached to the tube, i remember on my old camaro that all ram-air boxes or whatever just have the air tube straight through from the front to the filter and the stock stang setup has all this crap on it like the thing that says airflow and point towards the engine and if you look at the part that connects to the air box inside the tube itself there like screens in there and a black thing, doesnt all that rob straight through airflow??? thanks for any help:confused:

It does a little. All that "crap" as you put it, are important sensors and hoses. The one the plugs in right behind your MAF is the IAT, the plastic tubes that run off to the valve cover are the PCV system pulling crankcase vapor into the intake system. Your best gain on modiying that box would be to remove it from the bay, then take off the small snorkel that goes into the fenderwell. It's a little small, you can open it up a little or replace it if you are handy with parts from Lowes/Sutherlands and then re-install your factory air box. I wouldn't waste money on CAI yet...(unless thousandths of a second in the 1/4mi are worth 200 for you). You could replace that MAF with one that doesn't have the screen or pole in the middle.

Your factory MAF does cause air restriction (somewhat), but, do not do any of the physical mods to it. There are a couple posts floating around about yanking the screen and cutting out the post on the inside. This will distort your MAF readings on Air Flow and you will be kicking yourself, because you will then have to buy a new one, as the old one will make a good paper weight.

---just my opinion