Like a blast (of cool air)...
Like a blast (of cool air) from the past, Classic Design Concepts' new Shaker scoop system is the perfect solution for that big blank stretch of hood sheetmetal on the Charger (or Challenger.) It's retro, yet functional.
I'm lucky (OK, make that old) enough to remember marveling at the audacious Shaker scoops proudly protruding through the hoods of hot-rod E-Bodies on dealer lots way back in 1970. Little did I care back then that they were functional. At the time I just knew they were cool. The fact that they also provided a blast of cooler air to the cast-iron monster lurking beneath was of almost no importance to me, since as a dirt-poor 15-year-old, I couldn't afford even a Slant Six Dart in those days, let alone a testosterone-oozing Challenger or 'Cuda.
Fast forward to 2008, and some things never change. I still can't afford a '70 big-block E-Body, yet I still think a well-engineered shaker setup is the ultimate in cool, both aesthetically and functionally. So does George Huisman and his crew at Classic Design Concepts, and after all the R&D and tooling costs they've invested in the development of their LX-platform Shaker system, they hope you do too. For those unfamiliar with CDC, this is a Motor City company with a well earned reputation for design creativity and quality, serving both the aftermarket (that would be you) as well as Detroit's OEMs (that would be Chrysler, Ford, and GM). In other words, these guys make good stuff, as we're about to show you with the details and installation of CDC's new Shaker scoop system on an '08 Charger R/T. And with all the buzz and hype surrounding the new Challenger, CDC's product planners would have been crazy to make a setup that didn't fit the hot new coupe. They're not, and it does.
OK, so the current generation of 5.7- and 6.1-liter Hemis may not shake quite as exuberantly as their hulking 426-cid predecessors, but they sure look and breathe better with a CDC Shaker sitting up top, proudly broadcasting their Hemi-ness to the world.
Flipped upside down, you can...
Flipped upside down, you can see that metal frame used to secure the assembly to the car's four fuel rail fasteners. Also visible is the molded-in, cool-air ductwork that will outlet into the car's revised airbox. You can also see a couple of the spring-wire receivers for the quarter-turn Dzus-type fasteners that will secure the scoop to the engine cover.
Classic Design Concepts' major...
Classic Design Concepts' major Shaker kit components. In front is the steel Shaker scoop itself, with its functional, injection-molded ABS air-inlet vents. It's available in the textured black finish shown, or unpainted. Behind it is the new engine cover/Shaker base, with integral air ductwork. And standing up at the back are the inside and outside hood trim rings. Also shown are the kit's conical, free-flow filter and new airbox lid, along with the filter adapter ring (on the left).
The engine cover/Shaker base...
The engine cover/Shaker base is heat-resistant, thermo-formed PC-ABS (polycarbonate ABS). The forward opening on the right side allows access to the Hemi's oil filler cap, while the opening behind it leads into the cool-air duct. The four bolts on top secure the cover to its supporting metal frame (visible in the next photo.)