Has anybody considered removing both air boxes, the one with the filter and the one just before the throttle body, And mounting a straight 3" pipe to the throttle body and a cone filter to the end of the pipe. "Ram Air" Some customization is neccessary because of the extra air tube coming out of the air filter box but thats easily done. From looking at the 4.7 I honestly think its highly possible and would perform quite well. Install a nice scoop on the hood and you have some type of functional "Ram Air"

 

And without proper design you allow a path for water right through the scoop into the engine.......

I'm not a real believer in DIY ram air...but yes a smooth tube and cone filter is a tried and true mod.

 

Hey look at http://www.airram.com/they have a good looking ram air kit like you are talking about.

 

unfortunately, airram doesn't make the system for dakotas

 

The principles of 'Ram Air' have been known since the 1930's
when racers like Howard Hughes used them on his racing airplanes
(Hughes single engine racer was copied by the Japanese for their Zero)

Ram air is not just a straight tube to a cone filter.

Ram air is not all that difficult
it consists of
a. the right kind of forward facing inlet
b. a 'stagnation chamber' {also called a pressure plenum}
c. a filter
d. and a converging (not diverging) outlet to the throttle.

If you want to see an old example check out
the engine compartment of a
World War II 'Lightning' twin engine fighter.

If you want to see a modern example
check out the engine compartment of a
BMW M6
large picture:
http://www.seriouswheels.com/2006/20...t-1024x768.htm

note how BMW does not use cone filters

note how the 'stagnation chambers' ahead of the throttle are much larger than an uneducated person would make them.

Is it 'unfortunate' that Air_Ram doesn't make his gizmo for Dakotas?

Perhaps it is fortunate that Dakota owners can't throw away money buying one. {but many other similar gizmos are available to fleece Dakota owners of money that could be spent on working mods}

How can you tell that you are begining to understand the correct use of Ram Air?

Hint: when you understand that Air_Ram's other gizmo for sale, the 'Scoop' is totally wrong.

Has a working Ram Air inlet design been made specifically for a Dakota,
and tweaked for 'real world' use at high speed?

Yes, do a google search for the Banks Dakota with the Cummins diesel engine that did some speed trials on the salt.