Where exactly is the air silencer ring...i removed the ring that is under the air filter itself but is wasn't welded on or anything, is this the right "ring" its about 5 inches wide

 

/\-----Is that it in the pic?

 

Your 2nd pic shows up, not the first.

Yes thats the ring.

 

This is the silencer ring, to remove. Of course if you can fab a base to get rid of the pacer ring and allow a little more air from the side to enter the tb, thats a good idea.

 

This photo is the stock air cleaner spacer ring. It is used to raise up the stock "drop base" to clear the TBI injectors, you can not use the stock air cleaner or any other drop base type of air cleaner w/o this ring. If installing a non-drop open air cleaner you dont need the ring.

 

This did nothing but make my throttle get stuck a few times, I noticed no benefit.

 

This is the "spacer ring" used to lift the stock drop base air cleaner above the injectors. If you go with a non-drop open air cleaner then you don't need this ring.