i have actually cut away the main part of the cylinder in the wheel arch, and sealed it up, anyone else done this?

will probably fit a connecting pipe at some point, but thoughts?

 

You've done what ?!?!?!?

The resonator can be removed easily by taking off the OSF wheel and loosening the arch liner. Two 10mm bolts hold it on, no cutting required. If you've sealed it, where is the air-box drawing its air from ?

CLICK for my advice

 

poorly explain... the resonator base has been chopped off, with the gap sealed so it draws air straight from the intake on the slam panel but still going through the arch.

 

A lot of work there to still be drawing hot, dirty engine bay air. The usual route is to get rid of the res and the ram-air scoop (not on Classics) and seal the holes into the wing (duct tape) to keep the hot, dirty air out. Seal around the air-box (rubber hose did for me) so it can only draw air from the wing and then open up a way to get air into the wing (I cut a forward facing flap right underneath and opened up the triangular trim vents beside the foglight (03 WRX)). NEVER duct directly from the front of the vehicle into the air-box !

 

is there not a ram air effect at higher speeds with the standard setup?

 

Have a look at the 3 rubber seals (one around headlight and two on the leading edge of the bonnet) which mean the only air is what squeezes up through the grille and past the hot radiator. I had mine as described and it worked well. Never RR'd it to qualify my observations, but it felt to spool up a little sooner, run slightly cooler in traffic and benefit from the DV and induction being much louder.