Challenger Shaker N96 Hood history / Notes

[Cuda Cody]

This is from Tavis King on our E-Bodies.org Facebook group.

Here's some of the info from my Challenger Shaker Hood notes...
The Shaker Hood did not come standard on any Challengers. It was optional from the beginning of Challenger production until 10-11-69 on 440 Six Pak & 426 Hemi only.
There was a problem with the stamping dies for the Challenger shaker hood bracing, and more hoods could not be made. By the time these stamping dies had been retooled, crumple zones had been introduced in hoods due to safety concerns. This second version of the shaker hood became available on 4-10-70 until the end of 1971 production on 340+4 barrel, 383+4 barrel, 440+4 barrel, 440 Six Pak, & 426 Hemi.
(Although shaker hoods seem to have been available on base model JH 340+4 barrel & base model JH 383+4 barrel from 4-10-70 through 7-31-70, None are known to exist and it is quite possible that none were ordered/built. As a clarification, there were no RT model JS 340+4 barrel 1970 cars built, and some RT model JS 383+4 barrel 1970 cars DID receive shaker hoods.)
A third version of the shaker hood became available at the end of 1971 production as an over the counter crash replacement part. There are a few VERY late build date examples of 1971 cars with this third version of the shaker hood that look convincingly factory original.

It was not available with H51 air conditioning or V21 Hood Performance Treatment. If the car was ordered with J55 Undercoat/Hood Pad, the hood pad would be deleted.

J25 variable speed wipers with electric washers are required with this hood.

Along with the hood, you also got the trim ring with gasket, shaker bubble, shaker doors with short operating cable, engine callouts on the side of the bubble, dash mounted carb air cable, baseplate to hood seal, and appropriate air cleaner with baseplate to go with your engine/hood combo.

First Version had No crumple zones and a raised spot for the fratzog hood emblem. It did Not have a raised spot with reinforcement rib for the 71-74 hood latch pull rod on the underside. It also did Not have the larger hood nose reinforcement. It used 5/16ths hood bolts.

Second Version had crumple zones and a raised spot for the fratzog hood emblem. It did have a raised spot with reinforcement rib for the 71-74 hood latch pull rod on the underside. It did Not have the larger hood nose reinforcement. It used 3/8ths hood bolts.

Third Version had crumple zones and No raised spot for the fratzog emblem. Also did Not use the "DODGE" letters. It did have a raised spot with reinforcement rib for the 71-74 hood latch pull rod on the underside. It also had the larger hood nose reinforcement. It used 3/8ths hood bolts.

[Cuda Cody]

More from Tavis King:

The car dealerships were notified when shaker hoods became unavailable, so that they would know not to submit orders for shaker hood Challengers.
If the order form came through with a note that the purchaser would only accept a car with a shaker hood, then the Scheduled Production Date was set to April 10th when the hoods were expected to be available.
I've talked with some people who feel that these cars were actually built on the April 12th.
There was an announcement that shaker hoods & T/A hoods would both be available starting on April 13th.

[Cuda Cody]

More of Tavis King's notes:

A little more info about how the hoods are made.
Like most things, the hoods are assembled from pieces.
There's the hood shell (the underside) with 3 versions as described above in the shaker section. (no crumple zones, with crumple zones, with nose reinforcement and crumple zones)
There's the hood skin (the topside) with 3 versions (raised sport hood, flat with fratzog hood emblem, flat without fratzog hood emblem)
There's the shaker bracing (which gets fastened to the shell of a flat hood, and then the skin is cut out of the shaker opening)

The reason for saying this is to point out that throughout the shaker shortage, the same shell and skin used to make the shaker hoods was readily available and being used on other hoods. It's the shaker bracing that caused the problem.
Challenger shaker hood bracing is different from 'Cuda shaker hood bracing.

[anlauto]

Great info....We need this guy to join our forum

[fc7cuda]

Great info, thank you for including it from the facebook site.

A quick note on the 3rd hood version.  Even though it did not come with the DODGE letters on the front, the under bracing had the oval openings for each letter.  I found it kinda odd, but apparently that's just how the bracing was made.  SO, you could add the letters if you wanted.   

Tom

[ec_co]

Great info!! should this be under reference material though?

[Cuda Cody]

Sounds good.  I'll move it to the reference area.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Is there a way to identify which hood a guy has? I know I've seen numbers on mine. 

[Roadman]

       Awesome info.   

[Cuda Cody]

Are you asking if there is a way to tell if is a repop or ?  There are "lot" stampings on all hoods, but they are not part numbers and have not been figured out.  Someone please crack the code!!!!   

Is there a way to identify which hood a guy has? I know I've seen numbers on mine. 

[cataclysm80]

Great info....We need this guy to join our forum

Here I am.   Thanks Alan.

Tav

[cataclysm80]

@Cuda Cody    Is there a way to add N96 to the thread title?

I'm just thinking ahead to the future, regarding how to make this info easy to find with the forum search feature.

I'm not quite sure how the forum thread tags work, but maybe adding "N96, Shaker Hood" there would help also?

[Cuda Cody]

Good thinking @cataclysm80   And yes it's easy to update the title and add the tags.  That will make it easier for google to find for sure!   It's all done.

[TobiasM]

Some information on the colour-change from argent to black, that I stumbled accross on youtube...don't know how reliable that info is, but as there is a specific date named and some background explenation given, it seems quite legit to me.

Maybe someone with a youtube account might want to contact the guy named "Metal-Cross" and asked from what he has that knowledge:

[Cuda Cody]

What color is a Shaker Bubble?  Seems like that question gets asked a lot.  There's always exception to the rules, but what did the factory literature say about the colors and when did they change?  @6bblgt  might be able to help with this?  Not looking for exceptions, but more of a general rule.  3 colors were available:
FE5 Red only on FE5 cars
Agent Silver
Black

Seems like around late May of 1970 the FE5 Red Shaker Bubbles went away.  Then it seems like it was Black or Argent Silver.  I've seen 6bblgt share this in the past:

1971 (ORIGINAL INTENT)
'Cuda w/body color painted grill = BLACK SHAKER
'Cuda w/argent grill = argent SHAKER
Challenger w/argent grill = argent SHAKER
Challenger R/T w/black grill = BLACK SHAKER

So does that mean before May of 1970 that most of the Shaker Bubbles that were not FE5 Red were Argent Silver?