B-73 Restoration

[mowerman]

Thanks for the updated photos Matt I’m sure most of us are not going to get tired of looking at them. Amazing progress and yes, thank you so much for your services. We could sure use a whole country full of people like you would certainly be a much better place.Bob

[mattb73lt]

Decorating the yard this year was easy with Christmas colored trucks!

[mowerman]

Excellent thanks for that. We did put up our tree yesterday partially decorated. I think this was the earliest way I’ve ever done it.

[mrsmackpaul]

WOW, you blokes get into the festive spirit early, I have found a unsuspecting tree that will offer itself if some other bugger doesn't  flog it first 

 

Paul 

[1961H67]

Absolutely Beautiful,, it’s going to take a heck of a  Christmas Tree to “ Outdo “ that Combo! 

[mechohaulic]

if your going to print that picture and make Christmas cards , put me down for 2 boxes. 🙂. not to sound like a scrooge, based on past experiences with drivers putting REAL wreathes on front of radiator; the heat dries out the bristles and radiator sucks them in to core. plastic wreathes not as bad, real wreathes were allowed at bumper height. just sayin. excellent picture. 

[70mackMB]

15 minutes ago, mechohaulic said:

past experiences with drivers putting REAL wreathes on front of radiator; the heat dries out the bristles and radiator sucks them in to core. 

Drove an Astro back when and l had an oversize wreath made for the front of it. By the time l took it off there were pine needles on the transmission.    .....Hippy

[mrsmackpaul]

When hauling sugar cane the trash gets sucked in everywhere 

We would carry long rods, say a few feet long with a hook on one end and loop to hang your hand thru and pull the trash out a few times a day 

 

Paul 

[mattb73lt]

11 hours ago, mechohaulic said:

if your going to print that picture and make Christmas cards , put me down for 2 boxes. 🙂. not to sound like a scrooge, based on past experiences with drivers putting REAL wreathes on front of radiator; the heat dries out the bristles and radiator sucks them in to core. plastic wreathes not as bad, real wreathes were allowed at bumper height. just sayin. excellent picture. 

I just stuck it there for the photo. It’s my wife’s and she had it on the back porch. I stole it while she was at work and hung it there. It would interfere with the shutters anyway.

[mattb73lt]

First load on it's back. Put them both in storage for the winter this morning. Also, the first time since '98 the B73 hasn't been hiding somewhere in my yard. Rode really nice with the Caddy on it and pulled some pretty big hills better than I thought it would. Lots of looks and thumbs up going down the highway.

[yarnall]

Are you finally done with this?  It sure took long enough.  Now what am I going to read before bed?  What’s the next project?  I could bring a G73 up.  It doesn’t need nearly as much work. Luckily that Coca Cola LJ isn’t done yet. I can live vicariously through him.   Mike 

[1961H67]

Hopefully we will get at least weekly updates on the B73 being used for projects and the classic cars moved with it. As for the LJ ,, That B73 is the light at the end of the tunnel for me now,, I’ll do my best to make weekly progress on it. 

[blackdog2]

I was at a Party and a Guy showed Me a Picture of that truck on his Phone  ?

[mattb73lt]

12 hours ago, yarnall said:

Are you finally done with this?  It sure took long enough.  Now what am I going to read before bed?  What’s the next project?  I could bring a G73 up.  It doesn’t need nearly as much work. Luckily that Coca Cola LJ isn’t done yet. I can live vicariously through him.   Mike 

Well, I have a bunch to do and I need to finish the B73 when I get it back in the spring. First, clean up my shop, it looks like it exploded when I was trying to finish the bed. Second, I still have to finish the ‘41 cruiser for the State Police Museum. Then, my cousin called me about doing some work on his M38A1 jeep. Not sure about the Jeep, usually I frown on working on relatives vehicles. I’ve had several people ask me about doing projects for them, but that can turn into a can of worms. If I was closer to you, it might be possible.

[mattb73lt]

6 hours ago, blackdog2 said:

I was at a Party and a Guy showed Me a Picture of that truck on his Phone  ?

Who was that, if you know?

[Vladislav]

On 10/29/2023 at 1:20 AM, mattb73lt said:

 

Thanks for the pictures and for sharing all the job which no doubt brang lots of inspiration and was a pleasure to read. Many of us could feel as if that was happining with our own trucks. I mean when you met a trouble and was looking for a solution some others also spinned ideas on how would they solve similar issue. So your project shared plenty of emotions much earlier when it turned into a running truck people can enjoy watching.

The pic above is a perfect wallpaper image on my mind and the Christmass photo is absolutely amazing.

[mechohaulic]

9 hours ago, blackdog2 said:

I was at a Party and a Guy showed Me a Picture of that truck on his Phone  ?

a masterpiece such as the B-73  should be on not only phone but Christmas cards or at LEAST  a truck calendar . and the royalty rights might help the expenses of the build. a truck calendar with the B-73 and B42 side by side as was posted here would be the best December photo of a truck calendar. 

[mechohaulic]

now there's a thought ; with all the fine works of mechanical engineering and rebuilds shown on BMT; what a heck of a calendar could be produced. 

[blackdog2]

6 hours ago, mattb73lt said:

Who was that, if you know?

Every Body .........Knows Me......I tried to get  " Red Horse " To Go but he say's he getting to old to travel at 80 to far........?

 

[mowerman]

I know this  probably sounds really weird I never really thought of that. Every where you go with that thing you’re gonna draw crowd. Was thinking more on the lines of self satisfaction… bob

[mattb73lt]

Here was a really cool gift my wife and I received from two of her aunts this Christmas. A gingerbread version of our house and barn!! They're non-edible, but highly detailed and accurate. Even if they were edible, could you eat them? Now I have a gingerbread B73 for the collection! I put in two pics of the real ones.

[1961H67]

My Goodness ! I’ve been there and that’s perfect! You are correct about not eating that even if it was eatable,, They did great,, What a wonderful Christmas gift,, that can’t be bought! 

[mattb73lt]

Went up and checked on the B73 this afternoon and take some measurements to order some underframe storage boxes for my equipment. All is well with it. Hopefully, it'll be back home in about two more months

[mowerman]

My God for sure. 10 likes thanks for that. Matt…. truck is absolutely gorgeous. No doubt about it…. Bob

[Macktruckman]

Wow. I just just found this last night and stayed up till 3am reading it all. That was just awesome. Like everyone else said, thank you so much for sharing all this in such detail. Its all been incredible. I hope you enjoy that beautiful B73 and 42 for many many years. 
Josh

Edited February 2 by Macktruckman