Hi J98sprint
Thanks for your response. Buying a product as costly as this shouldn't require any modification, it should just drop straight in.
I have discovered faults on both sides. OK the filter isn't too small I had misunderstood the purpose of the lip around the edge of the filter element. When I dropped it into the front half of the housing it fitted OK apart from sitting high on the four plastic lugs on the D ring spacer thingy. I soon determined that if those lugs were removed the filter could sit flat against this and be trapped nicely between the two parts of the filter housing. Out came the hacksaw and a file and that was one problem less.
However, the lack of the four holes in the element I am still furious about, and there is no excuse for that. I actually managed to make four new holes in the rubber to allow the four Torx clamping screws to do their job. Its a botch and I am not happy about it, but I have made it work. Very disappointing in a product with such a good name (K&N).
Regards