Bumper build for a '95 GMC Pickup

[astroracer]

I built this bumper for my '95 pickup back in 1999/2000. It's been holding up fairly well for 18 years.
I started with a raw steel bumper then built the lower air dam out of 10ga. steel, 1 1/2", 3" and 5" dia. tubing.



Once it was all welded up I sand blasted the whole thing, inside and out and buried it in epoxy primer. I used All Metal to seal up the weld seams on the back side and after priming and blocking I shot the whole thing in white catalyzed enamel.



Here is the truck last winter cleaned up for the Chrome & Ice Show in Flint.




Mark

[Floradawg]

Excellent! Very nice indeed.

[Toolmaker51]

I built this bumper for my '95 pickup back in 1999/2000. It's been holding up fairly well for 18 years.
I started with a raw steel bumper then built the lower air dam out of 10ga. steel, 1 1/2", 3" and 5" dia. tubing.


Mark

Truly, a work of art. Not any injection molding going on there! Bumper, tubing and 10 ga plate components are obvious, along with the serious contouring to seamlessly meld them together. The faired and frenched outer light nacelles are very cleanly developed, radiused openings of the larger lamps too. What was the source of 'stand-offs' [?] supports at either end of the central blade? They look 50's Buick or such. Fabbing of concave edges defies my imagination.
I hate to guess what a custom shop would charge for it. Yikes!

[astroracer]

Thank you sir. The compliments are very much appreciated!
The radiused openings for the big lamps were made by hot bending some 1/2" round stock around a mandrel then welding it on the end of the tubing.
The center supports are simple, crush bent muffler tubing. I welded on and smoothed the side pieces to give them the depth I needed to carry the blade.
The blade is 10ga. steel with another piece of that 1/2" round stock welded on the front to give it some thickness.
As far as cost goes I have about 100 hrs. into the fab and finish work. Back when I built it the going shop rate for fab work was 60-80 dollars an hour. So that works out to 6 or 8 grand to have it built... I have less then 200 into it including the paint.
Mark

[DIYer]

Thanks astroracer! We've added your Pickup Bumper to our Autobody category,
as well as to your builder page: astroracer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Pickup Bumper by astroracer

tags: autobody

[Toolmaker51]

Thank you sir. The compliments are very much appreciated!
The radiused openings for the big lamps were made by hot bending some 1/2" round stock around a mandrel then welding it on the end of the tubing.
The center supports are simple, crush bent muffler tubing. I welded on and smoothed the side pieces to give them the depth I needed to carry the blade.
The blade is 10ga. steel with another piece of that 1/2" round stock welded on the front to give it some thickness.
As far as cost goes I have about 100 hrs. into the fab and finish work. Back when I built it the going shop rate for fab work was 60-80 dollars an hour. So that works out to 6 or 8 grand to have it built... I have less then 200 into it including the paint.
Mark

Bent tubing, lol but the joke is on me. Straight bends are about the only tricks I have...I don't need a bumper but this makes me want to design more advanced fabrications.