Cutting a hole in the airbox? is this safe or common??

Went to look at a double cab for sale yesterday. Popped the hood and noticed the previous owner had cut nearly the entire front side of the airbox out leaving the airfilter completely exposed. Is this a common thing to do? is this safe for the motor? There was a fine film of dirt/dust on the inside of the engine compartment but the airfilter didn't seem too dirty, although it did look very dry (not sure if these trucks have oiled or dry filter elements). The truck is 4x4 and has a lift kit and well worn overzised off-road tires. Should I be worried about premature engine wear due to dirt particles making their way into the engine???? The truck is at a dealership so I can't ask the previous owner how long the airbox was modified and if it was ever off-roaded that way.

EDIT: pic of the airbox about 8 posts down

 

Sounds similar to the deck plate mod for more air intake...

 

Yeah it should be fine. Even with the hole there the air filter wont get much more dirty than a airbox without the hole. It is exactly like the deck plate mod without the deck plate installed

 

Here is my deck plate mod! I can seal it up in a matter of seconds, there is a plate that screws in.

 

deck plate mod ftw!

 

x2

 

That is true, personally I wouldn't even purchase that truck if i found the hole there. I never have my deck plate in but it sounds like it was done unprofessionally. There are probably multiple scraps of plastic in his engine.

 

I took a pic with my phone. here's what it looked like

 

x2, the nice thing about the deck plate mod is you can seal that air box up if the roads are bad or if its raining a lot. I would not buy that molested truck. You don't know how much dirt has been sucked up in that engine. Just hold off and find a better truck. Just my .02

 

i have a feeling they know, the price is pretty low

 

offer lower..