Homemade Airbox for 550

I put an XJ550 motor into an ATV frame last summer. I did not have room for the stock airbox so I had to run pods. Due to water and tuning problems of the CV carbs I know I must make some sort of airbox. Has anyone done this before? My basic plan is to tig up a aluminum airbox then use one UNI pod filter to feed the airbox. I also plan to make restrictor plates to help me tune the amount of air the pod allows into the box. Below are some questions I have:

1) Do the rear of the carbs have to be flush to the inside of the airbox? or can I use short velocity stacks that connect to the airbox?

2) Any sort of baffles needed inside?

3) is too much volume as bad as too little?

4) anything else I might have forgot.

Thanks.

 

1. stacks would be better actually
2. no
3. probably not, and you'll NEVER know without a bike dyno
4. instead of a pod, just buy some UNI filter material and cover your airbox opening with it. I am in the process of building a custom airbox right now and that is what I am doing to save space. Pics later today.

 

pics as promised. the last pic shows a piece of the filter foam that I will install over the inlet opening. This airbox i made from the stock airbox cut and glued back together with polyurethane sealant

 

Looks pretty good. I have around 2 -2.5 inches of space behind the outter carbs and the frame. The current pods on 1,4 have to bend due to the frame. Its going to be a bit of work (see pics below).

Being the XJ noob that I was, I used a sawzall to cut the stock airbox out of the bike frame before removing the motor. Maybe i'll buy a stock airbox off ebay and try to fiberglass something together.