1999 Jeep Cherokee Hood Inlay

In this instructable I'm going to show you how I made a diamond tread hood inlay piece for my Jeep XJ.   This will help you design your own.

I made this at TechShop!  
http://www.techshop.ws/

Step 1: Preparation

Lay down some thick brown paper to make a pattern of the indention found in a lot of Jeep hoods.   Use a pencil to trace the outline of your hood piece you're wanting to make.

Step 2: Cutting

I used aluminum diamond tread as my insert material.

Carefully cut out your pattern with scissors or a razor blade  and apply the pattern to your material using tape.
We then used a hydraulic sheet metal shear at TechShop to cut along the pattern.

Step 3: Test Fit

We then test fitted the piece on the hood.  Please note that we left extra material for hanging in the powder coating booth and oven.

Step 4: Powder Coating

Time for powder coating!  Get a good even spray and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Cut to Fit Hood

Using the hydraulic sheet metal shears again, cut a section to fit on the cowl and leave enough room for the gap between the cowl and hood.

Step 6: Round Corners

We chose to round the edges a little bit.

Step 7: Automotive Tape It Up

We applied a liberal amount of Scotch Extreme Mounting Tape to the backside of the aluminum.

Step 8: Apply

And then carefully applied it to the Jeep.

Step 9: Final Product

You're done! Go roll down the road and show that thing off!