The hood scoop is an unlikely candidate for a car's personifying feature. One can understand why elegant black leather, voluptuous fascias and smooth scissor doors are such perennial favorites. But the hood scoop? The cynic says it is only a squashed box slapped on top of a hood. But somehow, its simple mechanical construction and devil-may-care ferocity simple exudes "car-ness." A hood scoop can, both mechanically and aesthetically, define a car.

History of a Hood Scoop

Hood scoops have a long history. Popular on 1960s and 1970s muscle cars, almost to the extreme, they fizzled out along with big hair and disco for several years. In the modern automotive age, hood scoops are associated with brawny high performance vehicles. They are a staple of certain cars, including the Ford Mustang, Pontiac GTO and Chevrolet Chevelle. Why? Because they perfectly fuse high caliber performance with timeless aesthetic appeal.

Simple Mechanics

Hood scoops are placed on the part of the hood receiving the greatest amount of wind pressure, typically in the center and near the windshield. The scoop is designed to have an open front facing the wind and three carefully sealed sides. A reverse hood scoop faces toward the windshield and uses the curvature of the windshield and the resulting high pressure to induct air. Another alternative, the "shaker hood," is not fastened onto the body but directly onto the engine's air cleaner. At high speeds, the scoop is not at all shy about shivering and quivering, hence the nomenclature. All types have may have a rock guard, which prevents rock, debris and insects from being sucked into the scoop's air intake.

The air rampaging through the hood scoop's funnel is sucked into the engine bay. It is then used by the engine to combust the fuel. It has a decided advantage over air drawn in through the front bumper and tubing, as that air may be up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the surrounding air temperature. Air captured by a hood scoop is much cooler and denser, and contains a higher amount of oxidizing oxygen, which increases the engine's combustion power. Secondly, in non-naturally-aspirated engines, the high density of the air can create a supercharged effect at very high speeds, although this effect is a quite rare.

Gotta Look Good

But some only care about 0-60 sprint times so long as they can beat the guy in the car next to them - or at least look like it. For these, there are non-functional hood scoops, sold for purely decorative purposes. But don't turn up your nose - few things can give a car the visual punch and dash of masculinity like a well-placed hood scoop. A hood scoop is an unmistakable declaration of raw power; it screams gearhead. A car with a hood scoop is obviously not for any teenager with rich parents, but for the true automotive aficionado. Full of classic history and modern power, a hood scoop is a fantastic addition for any true car.

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An Answer to the Naysayers

Some believe that hood scoops detract from the aerodynamics of a car, resulting in decreased fuel economy and handling finesse. However, this is generally not true. Hood scoops do not block air; they intake air, which may actually assist in aerodynamics. Hood scoops are relatively small changes to a car's shape, and, if they affect aerodynamics at all, will be unable to exert the force necessary to alter handling a 3,000-lb hulk. By extension, as they change the physics so little, hood scoops will not noticeably affect fuel economy.

Got a highway cruiser? Off-road beast? Illegal mod exotic supercar? Whatever your taste in cars, there's a hood scoop for each one. They increase performance, rejuvenate history, and add a dash of unmistakable sportiness. A hood scoop can be a car's personifying feature. What kind of car do you want?