Hood Ornament Availability
- Thread starter 1973Guppie
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
The aluminum version ftom jt outfitters is a great alternative.My original chrome spear was dull and pitted.
Sending it out to be chromed was expensive.Machining a new one didn't make sense after figuring material cost and machine time.
Dimensions of the alternative are identical to the original.Tooling marks can be completely polished out and you won't know the difference.
Sending it out to be chromed was expensive.Machining a new one didn't make sense after figuring material cost and machine time.
Dimensions of the alternative are identical to the original.Tooling marks can be completely polished out and you won't know the difference.
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
- Threads
- 293
- Messages
- 3,512
- Location
- West MI near GVSU
- Website
- www.mcdesignsoffroad.com
Mine was gross and pitted. It looks great in matte black.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,474
- Messages
- 36,905
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
I actually made a set of wooden running boards for my first 40 back in the day. Attached with wingnuts for quick removal when you wanted to go wheeling. One trip over the Dusy in 1986 putan end to that era once I realized the amount of work I would have to keep doing straightening the rockers to reinstall.
Any pics? In thinking about a wooden dash pad, if I tried to copy the original in say, maple, it would be quite heavy. I haven't had a dash pad off in ages but I don't think the standard mounts would support a lot of weight. Maybe something in fiberglass with a nice wooden deck. That would help with the weight, I would think.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,474
- Messages
- 36,905
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
Mike in Texas made a wood dash tray rather than a full dashpad shape and it turned out quite nice. Not sure if it was in the cupholder thread. @Solace in Solitude might remember.
@drnekFJ40
@drnekFJ40
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,474
- Messages
- 36,905
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
No pics of my running boards. But I did post a pic of some super sharp oak half doors a few years back.
Oak half doors
Oak half doors
Those doors are pretty funky. I would have darkened them a bit to blend more with the dark green. But to each his own! Nice craftmanship.
Oddly enough most of the machining was done on it with a wood router and a carbide bit. The tools used were much the same as making it out of wood. I did use a milling machine to cut most of the grove down the side and to start rounding the top. If it weren't for the ridiculous shipping upcharge, I would have started with a JTO one and filed it to round the top so it wasn't flat.
Mike has a number of great wood mods in his 40.
The dash is in the Wood Mod in FJ40 thread and in the What have you done... this week thead... all his mods are in HIS THREAD. The dash was Feb 13, 2016
Last edited:
In comparison, the OEM spear has much more rounded corners than the JTO billet one. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a single cut file before polishing with “Autosol” or ‘jewelers ruoge’ and a cotton buff.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,474
- Messages
- 36,905
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
Thanks Danny!
EBay has them occasionally, OEM and the aftermarket ones.
OEM ones will cost you your first born... but they can be bought.
I have always been one to change things so in my younger years when I first got my FJ40 I decided the hood needed sprucing up and I had a brass casting that didn't come out complete so I brazed it to a length of brass rod and made a dragon hood ornament.
Ran that for quite a few years and in the meantime lost the original in a move then decided I wanted to look more stock. Priced some rusted stock ones and the aluminum after markets. I am basically a cheapskate so looked around my shop to see what I had on hand and came up with an interesting piece of stainless and this is what I came up with.
Ummm, wonder if it's time to sell mine. Now I need to find it.
