im sure people are going to argue against this... im thinking about doing a mustang lower with a comp polymers (formerly cartech) upper box. heres my thinking:
1, it will be easier to wrench on without that stupid big truck upper.
2, better performance. before you start giving me crap about it killing low end torque, think about it. the truck intake runners ARE too long and big for a truck. compare the factory intakes to edelbrock carb intakes. the performer intake makes power from idle to @5500 with smallish short runners similar to the mustang lower. the victor jr has large, long runners (similar to the truck intake)and doesnt make power until around 3500. if youve ever driven a stock 5.0, you know it falls on its face by 5500 (best shifted @5200).
3, by my guess, on a basically stock engine, it will make nice power from 1800-ish-around 57 or 5800 making the valve covers and injectors accessable without removing the upper intake.
4, it will also open the door to using mustang tb's and maf (which are cheaper with a wider range of options)
i know my grammar sucks but i just wanted to see what everyone has to say on this theory. for what its worth, my truck is mass air. other than exhaust and this intake set up, my only other plans (so far) will be 1.7 rockers, adjustable tps, fuel pressure regulator, and aftermarket tb and mass air meter.

 

I think a GT40 would produce more power unless you were planning some other major mods (347+, aggressive heads/cam).

I was looking into the GT40 intake some a while back. But Im not sure what kind of changes would have to be made to the TPS & IAC. I would like to see someone do it on a truck though.

 

why not just drop a mustang 5.0, computer, and tranny in!
lol... anyway, i did know a guy who took a gt and dropped a v6 stang tranny in. i dont know if it was the tranny that made it sick or if that car was just sick.

 

nothing against the gt-40 intake. its actually a very nice intake for a mild bild. the main reason for the set up i mentioned is to simplify working on the truck. this seems like the best route while making power where you want it. trickflow used to make a box upper to go on their lower but that designed for high rpm hp....

 

First off, you are not the first to ponder on this subject by any means. The trucks intake is designed the way it is for more air velocity and better low end power (as you stated). What you probably didn't know is that the truck intake flows MORE air than any other factory Ford intake. The car intakes are designed the way they are because (like stated) they need to wind out......it doesn't take much for a 302 to get a Mustang moving but alot to get a truck moving. The GT40 intake actually flows LESS than a factory Mustang intake. How do I know? Because I have a Mustang intake sitting in the shed and was THIIIIIIIS close to swapping it onto my truck but somehow decided against it.

 

With the weight of truck think, you will notice the loss of low end torque more than if you were to put that intake on a mustang. How often are you pulling the intake off to work on truck? Could put that intake on and put 4.10's in and drive one with mission..

If you stuck on box type intake, the 302 truck lower intake is pretty much same as the TFS-R/Holley Sytemax in runner shape. So if you can find a box to fit those can keep truck lower.

 

I agree, money would be better spent on gearing.

 

typically, the first mod i do to any vehicle is gears. performance really isnt the point here though. its just a nice byproduct. yes, the truck lower is very similar to the tfs/holly. the reason i dont put a box type upper on it is that it will kill low end power. the truck runners are just too big and too long. to answer the how often will i have the upper off. probably not very often but it would make things other than the injectors and valve cover much more accessible.

 

Gears are good for the line but the engine will just wind out faster, some moostang lowers are actually based on a truck lower, also siding with junkie, didnt the Lighnings use a mustang design upper? And with the mustang set up a little lower gear change might help with the low end loss.

 

The lightning uppers are slightly different and actually flow less than a Exploder GT40 intake.

FWIW, you can change the valve covers out with the upper intake still mounted.