Here's an example of what you can do with a simple piece of sheet metal. A couple of bends, some smooth cuts, and some holes & self tapping screws to hold it all together.
AirIntake-03.jpg
To make something like this, I'd suggest you start with a mock-up out of cardboard. Once you have that all done up to your liking, transfer the dimensions to the sheet metal (I use masking take over all the areas I want to draw lines, make bends, and mark spots for holes), then cut and trim to the flat layout you want, drill the holes you want, and finally clamp & bend to shape. If you're really lucky, it comes out perfect, if you're very unlucky, it's trash & you need to re-do the whole thing, otherwise, it will probably be useable and look reasonable. In any case, you will have gained a lot of good fabrication experience, a good feeling of accomplishment, and retained a pocket full of cash (even if you trash the project 1 or 2 times, the finished, useable shield will be a lot cheaper than trying to buy a whole new kit.)

 

No fair, thats a jeep, it looks cooler that way!!!

 

Other than the front clip brace that I have the assembly hung on, there's no major difference in making one for the Dakota. Decide how you want the filter oriented & where you can fasten this sheet metal shroud & the rest should be straight forward. Positioning the shroud really only needs 2 considerations:

• Reflect the heat from the manifold - this is radiated heat, and
• Funnel the outside air more directly at the air filter - this pushes most of the warmer air around the engine away from the filter.

On my jeep, I used ABS pipe for the air feed between the filter & the throttle body instead of steel or aluminum, the ABS isn't all that prone to getting hot from radiated heat and was a lot easier to assemble. In your case, you have steel pipe & if I was using that, I'd use a bit of the aluminum style heating duct insulation to wrap the pipe around the hotter areas.

 

Actually that is chrome colored plastic pipe...LOL. I'll probably use Kydex to make a shield of some type, but I might have to get some aluminum tape or insulating tape to face toward the engine..