Muscle Car With Engine Out Of Hood, also known as shaker scoop (also called a shaker hood or a shaker hood scoop) is a vehicle term for an air intake mounted on top of the car’s engine to receive air through a hole in the vehicle’s hood.
Since this item is mounted directly to the engine, the shaker scoop moves along with the engine’s vibration and movement, hence the “shaker” name.
The hood scoop is a raised opening on the hood that looks and functions pretty much like a vent.
The purpose of the hood scoop is to increase the vehicle’s performance at greater speeds by developing a high-pressure air to feed through the engine.
The hood scope is a common fixture on muscle and performance cars. It sits on top of the hood and catches additional streams of air, especially at high speeds.
The airflow is then channeled to the engine compartment in a direct and short path, usually through a passage or tube insulated against heat.
To accomplish this, the scoop is positioned on a high-pressure area, including the rear of the hood and close to the car’s cowl.
The scoop can also be in reverse, with the inlet facing the car’s windshield.
The scoop must also be mounted at a certain elevation to draw in faster-moving cool air.
Most hood scoops are merely decorative; although they have an inlet, they are closed on the inside.
The protruding vent is there to enhance the appearance of a car, giving it a sleeker-looking body.
Explain the shaker scoop/ hood scoop.
The car hoods/bonnets are made in different sizes.
Some are made to be purely for aesthetics while some are very functional.
In performance-orientated vehicles, airflow is normally the principal factor when deciding upon a hood design due to the demand for efficient cooling and large amounts of induction air to feed the usually large engine nestled under the hood.
Consequently, massive air scoops are extremely common in the muscle car sector, used to catch the fast-moving air moving over the bonnet, forcing it in through the intake to the intake manifold.
Very specific types of air scoops can increase the performance of muscle cars by a couple notches.
It’s called the shaker scoop or hood, and it’s an intake attached on top of the air filter, which in many muscle cars is located on top of the engine block.
A shaker hood works as a short ram intake and boasts several benefits over the standard air intake system.
The first being that the distance the air travels before reaching the engine’s cylinders is reduced massively due to the absence of long piping required for a general air box system.
What this means is that the intake air encounters less air resistance as it goes into the intake system, decreasing unwanted friction, allowing the air to pass quickly into the intake with greater efficiency.
The other benefit is the fact that the higher volume of air repeatedly entering the engine makes for an increase in power.
Three basic things are required for combustion; fuel, oxygen, and a spark.
By maximizing the flow of oxygen to the cylinders, the energy from each combustion cycle is increased, making for a satisfactory increase in power.
Additionally, the shortened distance the air has to travel within the engine means that it will not have a chance to heat up.
This cold air is quickly condensed as it enters the air intake compression, further enhancing the efficiency of the resulting internal combustion as a result of the great temperature difference between the ignition spark and the intake air.
Purpose of shaker scoop/hood scoops
There are several benefits of hood scoops; however, most of these benefits revolve around performance.
Adding a hood scoop to your vehicle will significantly enhance its engine performance.
The hood scoop usually serves one function; however, it occasionally has several benefits.
In one application, like the manifold-type hood scoop, it brings cooler and less dense air into the engine, quickly cooling the engine and increasing its power.
Cool air
Cars today have engines that take in air from under the front bumper through the rubber and plastic tubing.
The engine compartment’s high operating temperatures lead to intake air above 82°F (28°C), which is less dense.
A hood scoop will provide the car’s engine with dense and cool air, consequently increasing power.
Ram air
At higher speeds, a suitably designed hood scoop, referred to as ram-air intake, will increase the pressure and speed with which air flows into the engine’s intake, producing a resonance supercharging effect.
These effects are typically only felt at really high speeds, making the ram-air intake perfect for racing, not street performance.
Increased horsepower
Other than bolting-on a kit of exhaust headers, a hood scoop is one of the most cost-effective methods of increasing horsepower.
Apart from being denser, the cold has a higher percentage of oxygen compared to warm air, leading to extra horsepower as a result of the increased engine combustion.
Improved looks
While the benefits of hood scoops revolve around performance, the addition of a hood scoop is one way to enhance the looks of the vehicle greatly.
Many people have been known to add hood scoops solely for the aesthetic effect it provides to the overall look of the car.
How hood scope works – Physics
Power comes from fuel and air in an internal combustion engine.
No matter the amount of fuel you squeeze into an engine cylinder, you require sufficient air to completely burn the fuel.
If you require more air pressure than is provided by the ambient environment, you are presented with two choices, you can provide a more efficient path for the air to reach the engine quickly, or you can employ mechanical assistance.
These are the two tools to forcing more air into the car’s engine; both shove more air into the engine.
Your engine is encased inside your hood; you require a path to get sufficient air to your engine if you want power.
Usually, some network of rubber ducts are used to pull in air from the front grille; however, that is still a long path the air has to travel to get to the engine.
Enter: The hood scoop.
Does the hood scoop eliminate the need for dragging the air through a hose from the grille to the intake manifold by grabbing the air from directly above?
The faster you drive, the more air gets rammed into the scoop!
By keeping the air intake above the car’s engine’s heat, the hood scoop can draw in cooler, denser air.
Types of Hood Scoops
Though sometimes added solely for aesthetic appeal, hood scoops are functional as well.
By increasing airflow to the engine, hood scoops boost performance. However, there are a few points to keep in mind if you are interested in functionality and not just an appearance boost.
SHAKER SCOOP
It’s inaccurate to refer to a shaker system as a ‘hood scoop.’ Shaker systems differ because, unlike other hood scoops, they are directly installed to the engine, protruding through a hole in the hood.
They are sometimes called ‘shaker hoods’ and ‘shaker systems.’
Chrysler once tried to market shaker hoods as the ‘Incredible Quivering Exposed Cold Air Grabber,’ thankfully it didn’t stick.
The name shaker stuck because the scoop is mounted directly to the engine; it vibrates along with the engine and shakes a lot.
They work by capturing cool air, pressurized by the vehicle’s velocity, and funneling it directly to the engine.
Unfortunately, shaker hoods can be really loud, and they may violate local “nuisance” laws.
RAM AIR INTAKE
The Ram Air easiest advantage like other hood scoops is that it lets cooler air get to the vehicle’s engine.
The Ram Air operates as a cold air intake; however, it provides the additional benefit of altering the air’s pressure being introduced to the engine.
A ram-scoop start small and then widens as it gets closer to the engine.
This makes the air to enter quickly but then slow down as it approaches the engine.
Slow air surrounds the engine gradually while fast air continues flowing down the scoop, increasing the pressure.
This high-pressure air functions like a supercharger would. Ram Air systems work best in vehicles with a fuel injection system or carburetors created to work within a pressurized system.
Ram Air scoops are great for mustangs and other performance cars as they only really provide benefits at high speeds.
INTERCOOLER SCOOP
These scoops usually are part of a supercharger system and are meant to provide cooler air to your intercooler.
The significant difference in an intercooler scoop is that it on its own; it doesn’t offer any performance boosts.
The turbocharger gives the additional power boost while the intercooler and its accompanying scoop exist to keep the engine cool enough. It does not detonate or incur any damage related to the high temperatures.
One major downside of a supercharger system is the amount of heat it produces; the intercooler scoop thankfully helps alleviate some of that extra heat.
COWL INDUCTION
People view cowl induction hood scoops as non-functional because they do not see the opening.
While almost all hood scoops open at the front of a vehicle’s hood, the cowl induction opens facing the car’s windshield.
The windshield’s base is an area of the car that’s high pressure.
As the wind hits the windscreen, it is thrust down into the opening of the hood scoop. You will see vents on this area, even on cars without cowl induction hood scoops.
It brings cool, highly pressurized air into the vehicle, offering the same benefits as a cold air intake; however, unlike other forward-facing hood scoops, it is not as susceptible to rock damage.
Muscle cars with shaker scoops
Shaker scoops can be mounted on a variety of vehicles, including:
· Boss 302 Mustang
· Ford Falcon XY GT Phase III
· Dodge Challenger
· Ford Torino
· Ford Mustang Cobra Jet
·Pontiac Can-Am Grand Am
· Plymouth Barracuda
· Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
· Ford Mustang Mach 1
How much would it cost to build one? Purchase one?
The price of aftermarket hood scoops ranges from around $1,200 to more than $3,000.
The significant difference in price points is dependant on the design, brand, application, and car type.
The Mopar Shaker hood kit, which is highly recommended, is available for $2,660; the Shaker hood kit comprises an all-aluminum hood along with functional Shaker induction.
All components of the kit are made and assembled in the U.S.A. and are easy to assemble since no fabrication or drilling is required. It is also delivered ready for paint.
The Shaker hood comes entirely functional and helps enhance any vehicle’s look and performance by forcing cool, high-pressure air into the hood scoop and feeding the air filter.
Any shaker hood kit would come with everything you require for a painless, quick, and easy installation.
The set should typically feature an engine-mounted shaker scoop as well as billet aluminum inserts.
Diy hood scoop
The hood scope functions as an entry passage for cold air to flow directly to your engine compartment, and installing a hood scoop is a great addition to your vehicle.
Now, if you are planning on installing the hood scoop by yourself, you should have ready some vital pieces of equipment and tools, as well as be familiar with the steps listed below.
Tools you need:
- Grinder with cutting wheel
- Hood scoop of your choice
- Drill
- Zeus clips
- Mat
- Tape
- Permanent marker
- Tape measure
- Sabre saw
- Sandpaper
Step 1: Wear your safety gloves, glasses, and work clothes. You will be using drills and other sharp tools; ensure you wear safety equipment to avoid any mishap.
Step 2: Remove the hood from your car. Once it’s done, scrape the paint on the area where you plan to install the scoop with sandpaper so the temporary markings you will make do not smudge away.
Step 3: Now that the hood has been removed, take a look inside the car’s engine and locate its carburetor. Scoops are best installed directly above the carburetors for enhanced performance. Measure and mark its location before returning to the hood.
Step 4: Copy the exact measurement on the vehicle’s hood, then progress to the cutting. Check the shape of the scoop you are about to install and plot it on top of your car’s hood using a marker. Once that is done, cut out the required shape using a saw.
Step 5: Cut out holes on the hood and on the scoop where bolts can be inserted to hold the scoop in place. Smoothen the edges with sandpaper.
Step 6: Attach the scoop and then tighten the screws and bolts to keep it steady and firm. Once you are through with installing the scoop, put the hood back into your car. You can repaint the scraped section of the hood if you so desire.
That’s all!
Be amazed by your vehicle’s new look.
The duration of the installation would vary depending on your skill level; however, following the above listed steps would help you successfully mount your hood scoop.
Summary
Though sometimes added wholly for aesthetic appeal, hood scoops have the ability to be functional too.
They can boost your vehicle’s performance by increasing airflow to the engine while making your muscle car look appealing and unique.
