GETTING RAMMED IN THE WALLET

Years ago, before we had our kids, my wife and I drove Porsches. Here in Canada there is no end to the boldness that a dealer will show when charging for parts and service. In defence of my budget and to get out of the dealer only web, I joined PCA, Porsche Club of America. The monthly club magazine was called PANORAMA. Beside the interesting stories there were the hundreds of advertisers offering parts and service. There were options and all of them so much less expensive. Titanium wheel nuts were $25 each here in the Frozen North and just outside of San Francisco, the Porsche shop was selling the same FUCHS nuts for $3 each. And so the saving continued. I bought a complete engine rebuild kit for a 1972 911T for much less than half the local dealer price. The components were from the OEM suppliers.
And so it goes. One of the first things that any person new to any hobby or special interest vehicle should learn is, the manufacturer may not have made anything more than the body and frame and maybe even the engine block. All of the engine internals were made by an outside supplier. And so it goes down the driveline. There are exceptions with IHC in the earlier years. My 2002 Ram 2500 is an excellent example of collected components from outside suppliers. The alternator is a GM Delco, the AC pump[ is Japanese, the axles are Dana 60, the injectors are Bosch in a Cummins engine. The transmission is a 47re based on the original Chrysler 727 and all of the internals are from an outside supplier, now. Even the torque converter was custom made locally with a lowered stall speed. So, what is it that makes my truck a 2002 Daimler Chrysler Ram Truck? It must be the BFG all terrain tires.

true. but actually it is the hood ornament that makes it whatever it is.

I have to agree and admit that I never thought of that hood ornament thingee. Good examples are GMC/Chevy and in the old days, Dodge/Fargo. In later years the Crown Vic was the same as the Lincoln. As you said, it is the hood ornament.
Speaking of hood ornaments, I gave the NOS hood ornaments to the guy who built the "L" in the attached picture. At the time, I thought we would never need these parts. BTW. the truck is Cummins 24 valve powered.

wow. an IHC roadster pickup!