I am trying to put a plan together for my 76. Something I have always liked on Jeeps, SUVs, and small trucks is roof racks. Is this something that has been done before on a dentside? I can't any examples. Probably since they are more popular on SuperCabs and Crewcabs.

 

Here are a few ideas, and this way you do not have to figure out a way to attach them to your drip rails and risk damage to them.

About any local welding shop should be able to fab you up something fairly cheap....

 

Hmmm I do like those. I was thinking it would be good to integrate the roof rack with some sort of a roll bar. I just want to see how it would look on our trucks because the styling seems to clash.

 

I hit the mother load for a 79 with just want you are wondering about as far as "the look". Ck out the yellow ford on post #14 of the FTE link below.

I think if you have prerunner front and rear bumpers the same diameter as the roof bar roof rack it would look ok IMO.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...de+pre-runners

 

In case the link does not work....

 

Wow thanks man!
What a great look. I am sold! Defiantly gonna get some dimensions and sketch up a roof rack for my supercab.

 

Good to see my pics are going to good use.

To help you locate more pics of racks like this google "chase rack".

Here's the one I had on my crew cab for a little while. I decided I want to make one with the section over the cab removable (as they can tend to mess with your gas mileage) so I sold it.

Oh and as for these things being cheap. Mine sold for $500 USED. Depending on what all goes into them they're typically $300-1500. With some of the high tech race ones (they hold a TON of tools, spares, etc.) being more than that!

Not the greatest pic - but it's all I had on photosuckit.

 

Those are great! I'm trying to stay away from tube bumpers and the desert prerunner look. So no tubing. This is gonna be a mud truck after all but I do like some trail rig type of stuff.

I think I am going to fab mine up and connect it to a headache rack with the minimal amount of supports going into the bed. Everything will be out of square steel tubing.
Like this (Ranger I know but same style):


My bumpers are going to be plate front and back: like this but boxier:

 

I'm not a fan of square tube, but to each their own.
Just keep in mind when tying into your headache rack that the roof racks tend to flex/bounce a lot so you may want to add front "feet" that can catch the drip rails (keep them flexy/soft in connection though as these frames FLEX) or make sure the tie down/connection point to the headache rack is far back to counter the bounce.

As for the bumpers - plate bumpers are ok for sure. I'm going back and forth on doing mine out of round tube or plate semi like that pic above. That bumper is just way too "bulky" looking for my liking.
I'm going to a style a little more "smooth" or flowing like these (same starting point). I LOVE the exploder one, which is a shortened version of the one on the Heep. Not a fan of the upper tube on the Heep one either.

 

That rear plate bumper is sick! I want mine nice and beefy so that one I posted is pretty close to what I want to do.

I'm not sure what I want to do for the back bumper. I will either rollpan it or do a square steel bumper.

 

From the roof rack to the back end now, here are a few ideas. Pay no mind the brand of rig the last pics bumper is hanging off of, I like the design.

I have a matching one for the front of ol red, just have not hung it on there yet.