The reason for taking the scoop off is for increased airflow. At low speed, the scoop is fine for drawing in cold outside air, but, at high speed, the scoop deflects passing air, so the car actually has to suck air through a partial cavity in the air, limiting the amount of air it can draw. By removing the scoop, but still keeping the intake up at the front, you can improve air movement. At high speed, it would be similar to Donald Swinford's ram air. I am going to do that also, but I don't fancy a big pipe running across my engine to the airbox, so as soon as I figure out another routing way, and when I move back to the house so I can get all my drills etc... I will be ram-airing my car.