[dBlast]

Here's a thought... get rid of the strut bar.

With the strut towers being so close to the firewall, there is already plenty rigidity built in to the design. All the strut bar does is increase the underhood bling factor. With the condition of the cleanliness of the engine compartment it not helping there either. To start cutting into the hood webbing or modifing your intake is a mistake IMHO.