• Welcome to For E Bodies Only !

    We are a community of Plymouth Cuda and Dodge Challenger owners. Join now! Its Free!

Shaker hood

704406

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
427
Reaction score
159
Location
Shawnigan Lake B C Canada
Guys, I'd like to get your opinions regarding the value of an OEM original shaker hood for a Cuda. I've had it since the late 70's and It's currently on my 70 Cuda in place of the original rally hood.
I have the hood, trim ring, (3 broken studs) 6 BBl base plate, 6 BBL air cleaner lid, Hood scoop with hot and cold air doors with the proper linkage, adapter ring with the bell crank, and the large rubber seal. I have an extra OEM shaker scoop, a 4 BBL base plate, and adapter ring.
Please let me know what you think a value would be.
Thanks in advance
 

fasjac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2019
Messages
2,237
Reaction score
1,126
Location
Arkansas
I think around 6k, maybe more ????
Long ago I was going to try to put one together with a/m. It was really high then too.
 

704406

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
427
Reaction score
159
Location
Shawnigan Lake B C Canada
A health issue may force me to downsize and move, so my 70 Cuda i've had since 1972 and all the parts i've collected may have to go.
So the question is, as the Shaker's not original to the Cuda, is the Cuda worth more with it on or is it smart to remove it from the Cuda, go back to original, and sell the Shaker separately?
The Shaker and the original rally hood were both painted at the same time the Cuda was, so swapping them is not much of an issue.
 

floyd

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2012
Messages
272
Reaction score
148
I think you will get more by separating them.
 

fasjac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2019
Messages
2,237
Reaction score
1,126
Location
Arkansas
I think separating as well, make the car as original as possible, and then the shaker set up can be a part of the sale for additional $$$$. And/or sell the shaker set up separately. JMO
 

6PKRTSE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
777
Reaction score
366
Separate for sure. Love the Shaker hoods. Which is why I cut one up for my Super Shaker project in my other post.
 

Sixpaksteve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
17
Location
Maryland
I'm not in the market for your hood but I'm curious.....Do you have the early model Shaker hood or the later model 70 hood?

1970 Cuda and Challenger hoods built early in the model year lacked the proper stiffeners on the underside of the hood to prevent the hood from easily buckling in a head on crash. The hoods were changed during the 1970 production run to allow the Chrysler lawyers to sleep at night, but many 'unsafe' hoods made it onto cars that were sold to the public and they still exist on our cars today. You might want to research what you have since an early built hood might be more valuable to someone restoring an early built Cuda. :)
 

704406

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
427
Reaction score
159
Location
Shawnigan Lake B C Canada
Interesting sixpaksteve I wasn't aware there were early and late hoods, I'll have to do some research as you have suggested. Any idea when they changed?
I'll compare the under hood bracing to my rally hood which is early oct 69 production. This Shaker is identical to the one that was on my dec 69 production Hemi Cuda
 

340challconvert

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
5,177
Reaction score
2,707
Location
Parsippany, NJ
Steve is correct on the early vs later hoods. The difference was the little indented ribs that were added on the underside of the left and right side frame rails on the underside of the hood. These were added so that you would not “loose your head”in the event of a frontal collision. The change was made around January 1970 when new safety laws went into effect. Keep in mind that the old stock was used until they ran out then the revised hood was phased in.

A-66
upload_2020-2-8_14-45-0-png-png.png

Registry

Interesting sixpaksteve I wasn't aware there were early and late hoods, I'll have to do some research as you have suggested. Any idea when they changed?
I'll compare the under hood bracing to my rally hood which is early oct 69 production. This Shaker is identical to the one that was on my dec 69 production Hemi Cuda
 
Last edited:

Sixpaksteve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
17
Location
Maryland
I got my education on Shaker Hoods by reading the June, 2016 issue of MOPAR Collector’s Guide Magazine. In this article they talk about the original hoods failing crash tests because they didn’t crumple during front collision impacts. Instead, they would break away at the hood hinge bolts and then push back pretty much intact through the windshield and into the driver’s compartment of the car. Both the Challengers and Cuda’s had this issue early on in their production, which started on/about August 1, 1969. The Cuda’s were actually a little bit safer than the Challeger’s hood-wise because of the Header Panel between the hood and front bumper on the Cuda models. On The Challenger’s though, the hood extended all the way out to the front of the car.

According to the magazine article, the lawyers at Chrysler insisted that something be done to make the hoods safer and while this was being worked out the Shaker Hoods were absent from the Challengers for a time in late 1969 until about April of 1970. Over at Plymouth, there was never a gap in making the hood available because Plymouth was confident in their belief that the Header Panel offered enough protection in the event of a crash.

Chrysler fixed the problem in both car lines by adding ‘crumple zones’ in the underneath framework of the hoods. While it’s rare now to find a Challenger without a redesigned ‘crumble zone’ hood, the 1970 & 1971 Cuda models may or may not have this ‘new’ hood. The photo below is an example of a 1970 Cuda Hood with the Crumple Zones circled in red. The Shaker Hood on my November of 1969 built Cuda is original to the car and it does not have these crumple zones.


upload_2020-3-22_8-44-6.png
 

704406

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
427
Reaction score
159
Location
Shawnigan Lake B C Canada
Thanks Sixpaksteve thats great information. I just looked at my Shaker and it has no crumple zones so obviously it's an earlier original version.
Does that mean it's worth more or less to someone? who knows, but more information is always good.
Thanks to all that responded
 

Sixpaksteve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
17
Location
Maryland
Congrat's on having an early 'defective' hood 406. Lol now you at least know how to correctly identify those hoods as being either an early or later hood and you know how to advertise your's for sale. :)

"Does that mean it's worth more or less to someone?" In my experience the answer to that question is that it really depends on the person doing the buying. A person restoring a real 440/6 Cuda built before January 1970 and who also is a stickler for the details of their restoration would be your best customer. Another person restoring the same exact car but who isn't as detailed oriented is just looking for a 1970 shaker hood.

As far as the value of you what you have I really can't tell you. As a suggestion, you might want to reach out to Frank Badelson via either email or a phone call and have a conversation with him about the value of your hood. He's located in Virginia and he has a reputation in our hobby for being extremely detailed oriented in the Mopar's he restores for people. Another person who would be considered a subject matter expert is Tony of Tony's Parts. He's in Delaware and I've always found both of these guys to be very open, very knowledgeable, and easy to talk with......
 

6PKRTSE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
777
Reaction score
366
This is my Super Shaker project. Getting painted now.

20180501_190142.jpg


20180627_222824.jpg


IMG_0436.jpg


20200207_183435.jpg


20200207_184548.jpg
 

BS27R1B

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Messages
47
Reaction score
12
Location
Strathroy, Ontario
PM me the details on your car, I might be interested in the package.

As far as the crumple zone dimples I have seen them on a few later cars. In fact I have one on my 71 Cuda and it is the original hood to the car. Possibly a straggler that was buried, repaired and installed late. I do not think you can apply that January 1970 as a hard line.
 
Back
Top