Since the modern Dodge Challenger debuted alongside the
Dodge Magnum Dodge Charger, Mopar lovers have been cutting holes in their hood
to make room for a modern take on the vintage “Shaker” hood design.The Shaker hood has appeared in the
aftermarket on just about every modern Mopar – from the Dakota to the Neon to
the Chrysler 300 – but according to Allpar there will soon be a factory Shaker
option.For those who are reading this
but are somehow unfamiliar with the Shaker hood, it is the setup shown above
where a scoop attaches to the engine and pokes through the hood, helping the
engine to suck in the coolest air possible.
During the Chrysler Group dealership convention earlier this
week in Las Vegas, among the unveilings was a Shaker hood system coming to the Dodge
Challenger.It is unclear whether this
new factory-offered hood option will be part of a trimline or special edition
package or if the Shaker scoop and hood system will be offered strictly as an
add-on through the Mopar aftermarket parts catalog.In any case, we can expect a factory quality
Shaker hood setup to be a major success when it arrives.
As a side note, when the original Shaker hood came to the
Chrysler lineup in the early 1970s, it was prevalent on two models – the Dodge
Challenger and the Plymouth Barracuda.With
the recent rumors that the next generation 2-door Mopar muscle car will be
badged an SRT Barracuda rather than a Dodge Challenger SRT8, you have to wonder
if the Barracuda will come with a standard Shaker hood while the parts to build
a Shaker-equipped Challenger will come via the Mopar catalog.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
