Jamz - You picked the wrong class. The idea behind "Spec" is that everyone has the same equipment and it comes down to the driver (of course the world isn't idyllic so this never truly happens). There are tons of other classes that are meant for you to engineer your way around the rule book.
Todd, I don't believe you have understood my point. This is the last I will address it however.
Answer these two questions;
1. Would a top prep SM car leave an 1 1/2" wire harness ran right in front of the air intake?
2. Does moving the wiring harness a couple of inches for that section to under the air intake violate IIDSYCYC?
If you answered yes to both of those then you might understand what I am saying. Being you are regional NASA director, would you DQ me for this? If you say yes, then I would ask that you use your influence as a NASA director to change the rules to allow me this because blocking off a significant amount of the air intake means my car isn't at parity with your 1.6 .
Would you also DQ me because my windshield wipers blades aren't in the stock position on the glass? For not having all my gearbox bolts in place? Fastners missing from fender panels? Zip ties used to secure some of the bumper cover points? Relays zip tied instead of the stock mounting bracket?
Todd it doesn't matter if you run soap box derby class. If you are top prepped, you go beyond what the rules explicitly tell you can do, and do things that aren't explicity addressed in the rules.
But I can appreciate your position and we probably agree more than it appears. But another question for you then. If you want to run equal and the same equipment for the purpose of having all our cars equal in performance in order to have a driver class, do you have any objections to KW's suggestion of a sonic restrictor plate? I am not as smart or knowledgeable about stuff like that as KW, but assuming what he is saying is true, why not support his efforts to get it implemented if you truly want all of your competitors in cars that are performing the same from the engine standpoint?