Originally my intent was to purchase a rack like JasonRedwood has from Drabbits (camelback) but the lead time killed me. I wanted it for my busy summer, and that did not seem possible. Today I finally saw one in person locally on a 5th gen 4Runner and it's truly a professional grade product. Very finished looking. Very refined. I really like my custom made rack, but I can see the appeal of the more refined "professionally" produced racks.
With powder coat, all materials, and labor my rack came out to right around $900. I think it was like $910 all said and done. This was about $100 more than the rack I wanted from Camelback with shipping figured in. The fabricator I worked with said I overpaid a bit on steel (I paid $110, he said he could have got it for closer to $65. Live and learn.) and he put in a LOT of hours on it @ $60/hr. He said if he were to make another one it'd be closer to the $700-$800 range since he now knows how things need to be done, and I wouldn't be in the shop bugging him =p
The most appealing part of my rack is that I drew it in AutoCad at about 2am on a Tuesday, and it was done, mounted on my 4Runner the following Monday. I drew it EXACTLY how I wanted it, and recieved EXACTLY what I wanted. No more, no less.
Here's a picture of the rack the day I got it mounted...
DSC_0089 by
Alex Wilson, on Flickr
And here it is this past Saturday with the tent mounted. You'll notice I now have a fairing. Picked up a "medium" inno fairing off of Amazon Warehouse Deals.
DSC_0004 by
Alex Wilson, on Flickr
And this past Sunday trying to get it dirty again...
DSC_0285 by
Alex Wilson, on Flickr