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I seriously do love holidays. Today i started my quarter cut and rear bar project. It will the strongest rear bar ever made for a mu (that i have seen so far) and i feel sorry the person that ever runs up the back of me.
I am using 150mm C Channel structural steel beam for the majority of the project. It will weigh in at about 45 kgs. But thats ok (rear springs are a constant 200kg and weight makes the car ride better and leaf springs work harder offroad). nothing fancy with this bar, but hopefully will be able to incorporate a couple tow hooks and a hi lift jack point either side.

Picking up the steel
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Giving the grinder a workout.
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Rear bar and Quarter Cut.
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Mocking up the side bar. Going to leave a small 2 -3 mm gap between bar and the sheet metal.
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You Can start to get the idea of where i am heading. Looking at the white line i plan on chamfering the corners of the bars. the gap under the tail lights will be boxed in.
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great idea. This beast is geting angrier everytime i see it

Alright. Question time. What is that thing in the green circle and do you think it will matter if I cut along the red line.
You can also see where I have starting to weld the panel up.
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Think you will find that is a vent. it goes from behind that panel right up into the rear pillar and vents to the inside cabin behind the trim. But I could be wrong.

either that or the sheilding round the fuel filler

There's one on both sides -it's not bracing like under the front guard is it?

if it is there will be a body mount on the other side of the panel. Cut too near that at your peril

Another update on the job. Slowly starting to look like a rear bar!!

Decided that it was best to just cut around the vent - it look and felt structural. No biggie if i want to cut it out later though.
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Painted up. the underneath.
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Rear bar taking shape.
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just a thought. The bumper is attached to the solid chassis but the body is rubber mounted/Might need a bigger gap

I looked at all the patrol bars and cruiser bars that my mates had. They are all very close to the body work and dont seem to have an issue. And it looks nice when its nice and close to flush. haha
Currently bogging / sanding and primer filling. Aussie weather in brisbane is being a pain though, constant storms and rain is slowing down the process.