I'm presently stripping my pickup down to damn near a frame off removal for paint and rust removal. Not much in the way of rust at all except for the right side floor pan.

Thus far I have decided upon, a flat bed. Winch bumper with receiver hitch. Super duty seats. 4 inch lift. Single to dual pipes.

I'm looking for handy/cool ideas on what I should do now since I have it almost all taken apart. What are some things that would be sweet to do, that you either did yourself, have contemplated, or wished you had done.

Thanks

 

Why not mount the winch on a plate with a receiver type hitch? You can put a receiver in the front bumper, rear bumper, and even off the sides of the flatbed. The winch can be mounted at the front of the flatbed with a lock so it can't be swiped. Put some fairlead rollers at the back of the flatbed so you can drag stuff up with the winch mounted at the front of the bed like cars onto trailers or whatever.

That's how my rock-crawler buddies do their rigs up. It makes sense, they're not stuck with just one winch location. They use a long power cable that attaches with a quick disconnect so they can mount their winch in any spot and have one power source.

Not sure what you intend to do with it, but those trail rigs make sense to me with their on-board air compressors, on-board welders, etc.

Toolboxes in the sides of the flatbed to use up the wasted space. A flip up cover over a gooseneck hitch in the middle of the bed. Make a headache rack on the flatbed too, you can mount some lights on it as well. Put lights all over the place. A well lit rig is handy. Basically just do stuff that makes sense. Function over form, no foo-foo BS.

 

I appreciate the tips bud. If I am having a custom flatbed built at roughly $3k I am making it for the long haul, and getting it totally customized as it doesn't cost that much more. I plan to have a winch bumper with receiver hitch in the front, and rear. Mostly the reason I will mainly need it in the back if I slide off the road, or the front if I need to winch someone out. Maybe even the rear as I go trekking right around and pulling out those crazy subaru drivers. .


I plan to have all the standard required turn signals etc. Two rear facing lights, one on each side as an alley light, about 6 forward on the flatbed headache rack. I also plan to have 2-4 mounted in my winch bumper. I'm going to either run 2 alternators, or one really large one like 200 amp. Center mounted lockable toolbox with undermounted storage also. I plan to have an area for my snap on box with a chain that I can use on it. Drings all the way around. On board compressor which will power by load bags, and train horns (perhaps). Spot for welder, high lift jack, fire extinguisger, axe, shovel, maybe a few other things. Hideable gooseneck ball.

In the cab, super duty seats, roof mounted speaker headliner with stereo there. In the spot for the stock radio I plan to mount something, not quite sure, maybe remove the bezel and put a beverage cooling area with one of those mini mini fridges, maybe even a spot for a tuffy lucky box. I plan to make a over head gun rack with lock bar. Super duty 40/20/40 bench, leather black. Clearance lights on the front. Newer style cowl. 4-6 inch lift.


I've got big plans for this pickup but it will last me the long haul I am hoping!