This is more or less what...
This is more or less what you'll see when you open the box: a pre-assembled cast-aluminum scoop atop a vacuum-formed ABS engine cover, with "Mustang" badges and discharge duct attached. We say "more or less" because the finish on this late prototype base/engine cover is a bit glossier than typical, and the discharge duct is also in prototype form and will have less noticeable plastic-weld joints in production kits.
CDC's '05 Shaker: What a perfect complement to the S197's late-'60s styling cues. Like the original, it's functional, and installation couldn't be simpler.
The Shaker needs little introduction. Ford thought it was a better idea on the original Cobra Jet Mach 1. George Huisman and crew at Classic Design Concepts (CDC) revived the idea a few years ago with versions for the SN95 and New Edge cars, and Ford once again picked up the ball and ran with it on the tasty '03 Mach 1. Now we have the S197 GT with its distinctly '60s front-end design impressions. So guess what? It's Shaker time once again.
Many of you are no doubt familiar with CDC's SN95 or New Edge Shaker systems, as they've been hugely popular both in these pages and in the marketplace. And with good reason, since CDC stayed faithful to the original '69 scoop design and packaged a high-quality kit around it. For its '05 design, the company
continues use of the textured black cast-aluminum Shaker scoop itself, but mounts it on a base that doubles as a stylish engine cover, hiding some of the industrial look of the S197 GT's stock underhood landscape. Better yet, the new kit is fully functional, rushing ambient air to the factory airbox via included ductwork. The kit even includes a high-flow replacement air filter and a plate to block off the factory underhood air inlet, helping reduce the temperature of the incoming air charge.
As if this weren't enough, installation is even easier than before, with the Shaker and its mounting base (which doubles as engine cover) coming pre-assembled and phenomenally simple to mount. Yes, you still have to cut a hole in your hood and airbox, but the kit's templates and new two-piece hood-cutout trim plate takes most of the stress out of that job. And on the financial front, at $795, there's no increase in price over the previous versions. Good vibrations all around.
A note about our photo car. At the time of our tech visit, CDC had no unmolested GTs on the property, so we had to use one of their red show cars, which had previously been fitted with a Shaker so its hood was already cut out. As a result, for some of our hood shots, we dummied up another of CDC's show cars, a blue one which sharp-eyed readers will note has holes drilled in its hood (for a different prototype scoop) that have nothing to do with the Shaker installation. It was the best we could do on that day, but between the two, you'll get the idea.
1 Installation begins with...
1 Installation begins with the hood cutout. Start by removing the pushpins that secure the underhood noise blanket. Ignore the drilled holes in this shot, but notice the rectangular flat spot that Ford thoughtfully provided in the hood sheetmetal--almost as if a Shaker was planned right from the start.
2 In preparation for surgery,...
2 In preparation for surgery, a layer of wide masking tape is laid down over the general area of the cutout, then the kit's template is trimmed and taped in place and referenced to the side-to-side center of the hood and its rear edge contour.
3 With a razor blade or X-Acto...
3 With a razor blade or X-Acto knife, cut along the template's indicated line. The idea is to slice through the template, the tape underneath, and actually score the hood paint along this line to eliminate any paint flake during the cutting process to follow. Remove the template and peel the masking tape from the portion to be cut out.
4 At this point you're ready...
4 At this point you're ready to drill a 1-inch hole in one corner of the intended cutout, then insert a jigsaw or air saw and trace around the perimeter. The cutting is easy, especially on the '05's aluminum hood. Word is the '06 will switch to regular sheetmetal.
5 Before sawing, elevate...
5 Before sawing, elevate the hood so as to clear any underhood components, and place a sheet or blanket over the engine to catch any metal shavings. Once the hole is cut, the upper portion of the two-piece trim ring can go on. It has acrylic bonding tape on its underside lip to lock it in place so it can't move around and chafe the paint. CDC thought of everything.
6 Next, reinstall the hood...
6 Next, reinstall the hood blanket and cut out a section to match the Shaker opening. The lower section of the trim ring then snaps into the upper portion, locking the two together and holding the blanket in place around the opening.
7 Now it's time to dive underhood....
7 Now it's time to dive underhood. Start by unclipping the lid of the airbox, and then unbolt the airbox lower section from the inner fender. Remove the factory filter as it will not be reused. The lid of the airbox, which is attached to the rubber inlet duct, does not need to be removed.
8 The mass air sensor's electrical...
8 The mass air sensor's electrical harness has to be unplugged so it can be fed through an opening after the engine cover is installed.
9 Likewise, on the other...
9 Likewise, on the other side of the throttle body, this vent line must be temporarily unplugged so it can pass through a hole in the soon-to-be-fitted Shaker/engine-cover assembly.
10 Mount the kit's ball-stud...
10 Mount the kit's ball-stud socket to the intake manifold in the location shown using the U-clamp. This will serve as the rear mounting point for the Shaker/engine-cover assembly.
11 Up front, remove only...
11 Up front, remove only the two top bolts from the throttle body. The throttle body itself does not need to come off; the front of the engine cover will be secured by these top bolts.
12 To provide maximum clearance...
12 To provide maximum clearance for the engine cover, the stainless band clamp around the rubber inlet duct must be rotated counterclockwise to the position shown with the clamp screw pointing up (it normally sits on top of the duct pointing to the driver's side). A rubber nub on top of the duct will have to be sliced off in order to rotate the band clamp.
13 Now the Shaker/engine...
13 Now the Shaker/engine cover assembly can be set in place, starting at the rear by inserting the ball stud on its underside into the socket previously clamped to the intake manifold.
14 As you lower the front...
14 As you lower the front of the assembly, locate the mass air harness above, and on the other side of the inlet duct, reconnect the vent line previously disconnected through the holes in the engine cover.
15 The engine cover secures...
15 The engine cover secures at the front by reinstalling the two upper throttle-body bolts previously removed.
16 The lower airbox requires...
16 The lower airbox requires a 3-inch hole on its rear face, located with another supplied template.
17 Snap the supplied air...
17 Snap the supplied air duct into the hole you just sawed. Tabs on the duct will lock into the airbox.
18 Before reinstalling the...
18 Before reinstalling the airbox, insert the kit's plastic block-off plate into the factory airbox opening, thereby shutting out any hot underhood air. Install the kit's high-flow filter and bolt the lower airbox back into the car.
19 As you reinstall the airbox,...
19 As you reinstall the airbox, slide on the kit's rubber coupler to join the two portions of Shaker discharge duct, and secure the coupler with the supplied stainless band clamps. Clip the airbox lid back on and you're done. Even with cutting the hood and airbox, the whole project shouldn't consume more than a couple hours' driveway time.
20 Here's the reward for...
20 Here's the reward for your not-so-hard work.