Went down to our local steel yard today and came up with this for an idea. Mind you this is just a quick rough layout, everything will be tight in the finished product. Got out of there with about 40 bucks of 1/8" thick strips, and 3/8" angle iron. Enough to do several beds, but gives me extra material to play with. Here are a couple of quick mock ups.


I like the cheap aspect of this, plus the simple solution to a complexed issue related to parts on hand vs. buying a new bed. I think tomorrow I might get it all installed with counter sunk holes for the screws that hold the wood to the frame and the strips to the wood. Then it's off to the shop for mufflers!