What is the object of having a intake silencer? and what does it do?.

 

The wimps at GM powertrain felt that some F-body owners would object to the noise from the air rushing through the intake tract, thus the "donkey *******" to help combat that noise. It's completely useless. Ditch it.

 

Most cars these days have them in one form or another. They don't significantly affect performance one way or the other. You would need to remove it to install an electric water pump. If you don't want it you can buy a 1LE elbow which doesn't have one or buy or make a plug.