One Belvedere II hardtop owner somehow convinced a drop-forged con rod to find a new reciprocating route through the side of its 426 big-inch Hemi block. That was somewhere between 1966 and 1981 ...

Well, I can tell you it doesn't pack a numbers-matching 426. Moreover, the HEMI lurking under that big hood scoop is actually a bit more potent than its factory-stock counterparts.

In 1968, Chrysler built 50 special Plymouth Super Stock Barracudas with the vaunted 426ci Hemi. Perched atop the hood was an air scoop designed to funnel every last cfm of cool atmosphere to the ...

Even when they're not 100-percent functional, hood scoops add style and flair to a performance car design. These are some of your favorites.

The early A12 Plymouth Road Runners also featured the black fiberglass hood with functional air scoops secured by four racing-style pins. Its black steel wheels lacked hubcaps, with chrome lugnuts ...

We've got names and prices (keep in mind that the 1975 buck was worth approximately four 2009 bucks) with each scoop in the gallery below. One Piece Pro Ram, $64.98 ...

Hood scoops are an easily recognizable sight on any number of vehicles, but their intended purpose may not be immediately obvious. Here's what they're for.

The hood scoop, a key piece of automotive design for the last 70 or so years, does more than just look cool. It helps performance cars, from Subaru WRXs to Ram TRXs, go faster and run cooler.