Ok I just read through most of this thread. here are some of my thoughts. your prototype looks ok but it is too big for most peps with after market intake parts (pipe, maf, filter). mostly to long. I dont think it needs to extend into the fender so far that you have to notch it for the wire harness. you need as much room as possible at the bottom near the fender to run inlet tubing up from the fender. Also just a bit of my personal theroy on heat sheilds: They are not ment to block the flow of air (hot or cold). They are ment to block radiant heat from the motor/exhaust from soaking(heating)the eliment of the filter. I sure you have all heard the term heatsoak.
