speedypedro

Hello everyone.

Thought I'd share some pics of a homemade headache rack for my 1987 pickup. I was looking to buy one, to protect the cab when I scrap, and I did not find anything I liked for a decent price ($200 or so). Hopefully I can inspire someone to take on a project like this.

I've been playing around with a flux-core Lincoln welder and thought I try and tackle this as a project and here is what progress so far. (please go easy on my welds - they are strong but fairly ugly). I'll be attaching the rack to the top of the bed via bolts and the lights will be wired up with connectors so it is removable.

I used 1" x 1" x 1/8" square tube, 1 1/2 " x 1/8" angle, 3/4" 9 gauge expanded metal and 10 gauge sheet metal. There will be 6" oval tail / stop lights placed in the blanks on either side and the finished product will be painted flat black with VHT rollbar / chassis paint. Overall the materials cost about $120 plus some additional cut off / grinding wheels that I needed. 20 hours worth of work at this point because I'm knew to welding and it is kind of an experiment.

Sturmcrow

I think it looks great. Can you see through that perf. metal with the rearview mirror, or does it block your view?

speedypedro

Thanks for the comments. I finished it this past weekend and drove it for the first time yesterday. Does not obstruct vision too much - a little bit in the dark as my rear window is tinted and reflects the radio and dash light. I took a quick picture to show what the blanks were for - cut out 6" ovals for DOT LED tail / stop lights. Wired them in with trailer hitch connectors so it is removable after snipping a few wire ties. Used 8FT of heat shrink tubing after twisting the wires up so they will last a few years. Used JB Weld to clean up some of my ugly welds although I rushed through the paint job and had some runs - not sure yet of the durability of VHT chassis / rollbar paint. I'll post some better pictures soon.

speedypedro

Here is another pic in the daylight of the finished project. As I mentioned the paint job was not that great - will probably scuff up and put on some bed liner to last longer.