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Here, I've documented the CAI installation on my '86 TC. This should be pretty much the same install on any '83-'88 TC along with all '87-'93 fox bodies with a turbo application, including Mustangs. There may be a couple of minor discrepancies in the later models, but it should be really close. This is also a low cost method requiring basic fabrication and some junkyard parts. Simple yet effective! The only parts needed are a 3" PVC coupler, a VAM hose from an '87-'88 TC and of course, a good cone air filter. The K&N #0930 is about the best you can get. If you're going to all the trouble of fabbing this system, don't opt for a cheapie air filter, get a good one. You'll also need some scrap metal for fabricating a VAM bracket.

Firstly, remove the extremely restrictive airbox. With all the convoluted turns in the piping, the straight through setup I'm installing should generate several horsepower. Next remove the VAM from it's bracket and set it aside. Remove the VAM bracket, as well. At this point, jack up the car, remove the RF wheel and the inner fender panel. 7 phillips screws and 4-5 retainers are all that hold it in place. The retainers are easy to remove if you know how to do it. The retainer is a reusable 2-piece unit. The clip pushes into the fender hole and a pin pushes into the clip. Use a door panel removal tool and slide it under the head of the pin. Pull straight out. The pin will come out and the clip will be left. Place a flat blade screwdriver under the flat portion of the clip and pop it out of the hole.

The fender panel is now loose. Use a flat blade screwdriver to carefully pry the panel from behind the fender lip all the way around. The panel should fall right out. There, you're done with disassembly. On to fabrication!

You need to build a bracket assembly to raise the VAM a bit higher and turn it at an angle so the inlet is pointed at that big oval hole. I used a stick of 1/4" aluminum to fab the two main brackets. Home Depot, Lowes, etc. will have what you need. Simply take your measurements, chuck it in a vise and beat the heck out of it with a deadblow hammer at the same time pushing/pulling in the direction you want. This stuff bends easily without cracking or snapping in half.

The main bracket will be mounted on the top of the framerail. The secondary bracket will be mounted to the splash apron sheetmetal for support. Drill the mounting holes. Next up, fab a plate to mount to the main brackets and also to attach the (soon to be modified) factory VAM bracket too. I just used a piece of scrap 3/16" steel plate, out of my junk pile, and drilled the appropriate holes.

Now you get to modify your factory VAM bracket. Use a cutoff wheel (or hacksaw) and cut off all that upper mounting bracket mess. Remove the lower one also. The photo shows a factory bracket on the left and the modified version on the right so you can see where to cut.

Drill a couple of holes at the correct angle in the VAM bracket and mount it to the steel plate you just made. Now bolt the whole thing together and this is what you should have. Kinda reminds me of the robot in that movie with Ally Sheedy!

Next, drill a couple of holes to mount the assembly and it should look like this. First pic is looking from the front, second pic is looking from the rear.

Before you mount the VAM, make sure you glue the rubber strip in place over the 2 bolts. If you've gotten this far, you know what I'm talking about. Now mount the VAM in your new bracket assembly.

That was the hard part! Now let's address fabricating the CAI. The best price I've found for the K&N air filter is at www.summitracing.com. Take your 3" PVC coupler and uniformly grind down some of the outer diameter on your bench grinder. The ID is just under 3" and the OD is around 3-3/16" so you have a little bit to play with. Don't over do it! You want the end of the coupler to fit inside the K&N snugly. There's also a raised portion inside the coupler that's used as a stop for PVC pipe. I ground that down flush using a die grinder (dremel tool will work also). Here's the finished product.

Here's where the VAM hose from the '87-'88 TC comes into play. BTW, this will only work on a small VAM. The inlet on a small VAM is 2-3/4" and a large VAM is 3". If you've got a large VAM, go to the local home improvement store and purchase a length of flexible 3" aluminum dryer hose to be used in place of the '87-'88 TC VAM hose. For the small VAM, take the '87-'88 TC VAM hose and slide the small end (2-3/4") over the VAM inlet and the larger end (3") over the the unmodified end of the coupler. Tighten all the hose clamps and bingo! Done deal!

To keep the filter from flopping around I bolted this piece of scrap angle iron (actually thick sheet metal) under the splash apron and wire tied the filter to it. This whole system is rock solid!

I slit a piece of vacuum hose down the middle and put it on the sharp edge of the oval hole, so as to not damage the VAM hose. This thing looks and works great! My butt dyno can feel the difference. The best part is the whooshing sound it makes every time I jump on it! As an aside, I live in California (smog capital of the world) and CAI's are considered an illegal modification! Can't pass smog with one. So, every 2 years when my bi-annual smog check comes up, I need to remove the CAI and reinstall the factory airbox. The beauty of this system is, I can do that in 10 minutes! I timed myself!

There are far too many holes in that fender splash panel. I'm working on a stainless steel plate to cover most of them. I'll post pics when done. There ya have it! I see no need to pay $150+ for those aftermarket CAI kits (that you'd have to modify anyway) when you can build your own for the price of an air filter!

UPDATE 2/10/07:

This week I fabbed a stainless steel plate to cover all the holes in my spash apron. I picked up a sheet of 1/16" stainless steel plate from the salvage yard for $18. I made a template out of posterboard and traced it onto the stainless. I then cut the stainless with a jigsaw using a 18tpi metal blade. I cut the CAI hole with a 4" holesaw. Took the radiator overflow tube off my parts car, slit it down the middle and covered the inside of the hole to protect the hose from the sharp edges. Riveted it on and put it all back together. Now it makes the rest of my engine compartment look like crap! Oh well, one thing at a time!