Hood Scoops On Max Wedge Cars     

Occasionally I get emails asking me what Max Wedge cars came with hood scoops. Hood scoops were offered beginning in late February 1963. It was part of an aluminum parts package to take weight off the front end of the Dodges and Plymouths ordered with the 13.5 to 1 max wedge engines. This package consisted of aluminum fenders, hood, hood scoop, front bumper and supports and other front trim bracings.

The hood scoop was offered in the aluminum package for the remainder of the 1963 and all of the 1964 max wedge production. The scoop was not offered separately from the package but I have heard of people that did get one with a steel nose car. One gentleman I know of who was an original owner that bought a 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 11.1 to 1 steel nose hardtop. He ordered with the scoop and the car was delivered with the scoop in the trunk. He was connected with a dealer that had some pull with Chrysler so I do not know how common this was where people could get the scoop by itself.

Cars with these scoops would grab extra air so if you bought one just to look cool you would have to put holes in your steel hood to let the trapped air escape. I would imagine that's why you don't see many originals floating around very often. I must admit they are great looking on the cars but they invite extra maintenance to owners with keeping dirt and weather out of the engine compartment. You must also run the velocity stacks that seal against the hood. Whereas this scoop and velocity stack setup does add extra air to the carbs, it does not offer any good air filtering so it's just not all that practical for street use.

You can find factory referencing to the introduction of the scoop in aluminum package announcement in Darrell Davis's 1963 Plymouth max wedge book.