Ok, The Answer. The verdict is still out on whether or not removing the air silencer will improve performance. The idea behind removing it is to remove a restriction. The silencer has a smaller opening inside the fenderwell than the size of the MAF. So, technically, removing it allows greater amount of air into the MAF. However, that greater amount of air is no longer cool air from the fenderwell, but a combination of the cool air and hotter air from under the hood.
Bottom line....some '00-'01 GT's have lost power from removing the silencer -- up to 3 HP. Until someone here does a back-to-back dyno with and without the silencer, we won't know.......