B-73 Restoration

[Red Horse]

Great Matt..have to think your experience as a pilot had to influence everything you did..no room for "good enough" or "i'll deal with it when I have to"

[mowerman]

OK thanks for that I thought that was the deal so that makes mat even more incredible … haha….. got a little video of a B model…. truck was absolutely gorgeous Watts show few weeks ago … .  But yes it’s definitely a lot easier and faster if you have an entire crew devoted to this all day long… bob

[mechohaulic]

another  thought  to  having a full crew is 1- more projects can be worked on at the same time ;2- faster doesn't need to be part of restoration ;3- quality has a better chance. many positive comments have been made through out this B73 build. for basically one individual  to have been responsible for the entire 73 build and have it come out beyond perfection ;; no one sentence can sum up how great it looks.

[mattb73lt]

Well, thank you all very much. I'm a little speechless from all the great comments. They are very much appreciated. This restoration has certainly been a true labor of love, as I've always wanted one of this model  with this style cab. I'll have to say that all my previous projects have helped with this one and it has been my goal to try to make it my best one yet. Additionally, I don't think I'll do another vehicle this in depth. It's just very consuming and I want to get out and drive these things.

A little about my background and where I think I got the skills. I was brought up around old cars and trucks. Learned a lot from my father at a young age, as he was always fixing other peoples cars and trucks on the side. I was always very mechanical and in technical high school I took four years in Machine, Tool & Die training. After graduation I went off to technical college and after two years, became an FAA certified Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic. That schooling, I feel, was one of the best courses I ever took. Teaching me so many levels of skills, from wood work, Dope and Fabric, sheetmetal, riveting and all manner of power plants from old radial engines to modern turbines , including all their subsystems. Hydraulics, pneumatics, avionics  and all manner of aircraft systems. I went into the Army after that to become a helicopter pilot and start my flying career. That is a whole other chapter of my life, and what I truly love to do. It's also given me the means to have this hobby life which is my second love. All of this is second to my wife though, who has been very supportive of what I do and my hobbies.

It's taken me so long to get to this truck due to my other careers. I found this way back in 1998 just before I was about to start the modification and restoration of my B42. I got that done in 2000. I was the Chief Pilot for the State Police, then, and was in the middle of purchasing their first new helicopter. We also had three Cessna 182's that we flew. All the while with the State Police I was serving in the National Guard and flying CH-47 Chinooks.  In July, 2001 we picked up the brand new helicopter for the State Police.

Two months later was... 9/11. That single event had ramifications for me that lasted for over 17 years. First it was endless overtime with the State Police. I worked 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week, from 9/11 to Thanksgiving Day without a day off. Right after 9/11, I was flying into Ground Zero with search and cadaver dog teams, along with supplies to sustain them. I walked the ground around the twin towers while they were still burning. The sights, sounds and smells have never left me. Two of my close Trooper friends and guys I worked the road with, have passed from cancers they picked up there. From there, it was more overtime and increased military training as my other career started to pick up. In February, 2003, I was called up and served my first tour overseas for 15 months. Came home, back to the state police and more overtime and military training. In 2009, called up for the second time and was away for a year. Came home in 2010 and had enough time with the State Police to retire in June with 21 good years. My military career was so busy at that point the next week I was full-time in the National Guard as an Instructor Pilot teaching new pilots how to fly Chinooks. Then, called up for the third time in 2012 and coming home in 2013. From 2003 to 2013, I was away from home for five years. Two tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. In 2018, I got word that I was facing  a fourth tour in 2019. I couldn't put my wife through that, she went through two of my deployments, and I didn't want to myself. I put my paperwork in for retirement there and retired with 32 years of Active and Guard service.

When I knew I was going to retire, I put my resume together and put some feelers out for jobs with friends in the civilian sector. A few months before I retired, I fell into a job with a trucking firm here in Connecticut, flying two of their three aircraft, a helicopter and a twin engine turboprop. The best part is, it's an on-call type job. No real schedule, except when the bosses need to fly. I usually know one to three days out for flights. But, pop-ups do happen when I'm in the barn. A quick cleanup and I'm at work in about 35 minutes. I joke with my friends that I'm getting paid to restore this truck.

For my Australian Friends: When I was in Afghanistan in 2013 we were stationed in a place called Tarin  Kowt. Once there, we were assigned to an Australian Special Forces Unit as direct support, along with a detachment of Apache attack helicopters and Blackhawks. After a few weeks of running re-supply and support missions, our Chinooks became their Go-To aircraft. First because of our lift capabilities, especially due to altitude and hot weather, and second due to our accuracy in timing and placement on the battlefield. A typical Australian mission would be to insert 40-60 troops (20-30 per Chinook) on an objective, depart to a safe area for 20 minutes and loiter, incase they needed immediate extraction. Then retire to Tarin Kowt for four hours and then go back out to extract them. On 22June2013, we had a mission into the Char Shenai(SP?) Valley, a chronic hot spot of enemy activity. I was Air Mission Commander for my element of Chinooks and the lead aircraft for the insertion. We make the insertion and go to our loiter point. As we arrive, we're re-tasked with going back to Tarin Kowt and bring out the Quick Reaction Force(QRF), another 40 troops, to the objective area as the radios blow up with activity with troops in contact. We do that as our QRF(2 additional Chinooks) are being loaded for resupply(ammo, water & food). We insert the QRF into the objective, then move some of the initial troops closer to the objective for security. In the midst of all this chaos, a call goes out for an urgent 9-LINE (a Medical Evacuation), somebody has been injured seriously. The Apache's are in action during all this, too, shuttling back and forth reloading and staying ready for action. An Apache escorted Medical Blackhawk comes out and does the evacuation right in the middle of this mess. We're out there hours longer than planned, never shutting down and hot re-fueling every time we land at Tarin Kowt. Well into the day, we finally get the order to extract everyone. One of my duties as Air Mission Commander is to contact every aircraft and get a head count. I tally that up and give it to the Ground Commander, who's on my aircraft and making sure everyone is accounted who was inserted. I get the numbers and I'm short. I do it again and make sure the crews are accurate. I'm still short. The Ground Commander is standing behind me, listening on a headset, when I hand him the count. The radios are silent on the way home, every aircraft has heard the count and tallied it up themselves and know we're short.

That was the day the last Australian soldier was killed in action in Afghanistan. We lined the ramp at Tarin Kowt up to the ramp on the Australian Air Force C-17 that was sent to bring his remains home shortly after that day. I read much later when I was home that he earned the Victoria Cross for his actions that day, their highest award for valor. A very sad day we lived through with our Australian Brothers.

Sorry for the endless post.

[DavCut]

Thank you for your service and dedication to the people of your state, our Country and the world @mattb73lt .🫡

[Brocky]

Matt,

Thank you very much for this info and your service to our country!!! I have some friends with A&P licenses and it always shows up in their work, whatever they are doing. One in particular is Jeff Lakaszcyck over on the Just Old Trucks website. He spent over 30 years with NASA at Cape Canaveral. The military Mack at Macungie in 2021 is his, as well as the 1942 Federal C-2 Retriever, with the aircraft style inertia starter shown at the ATCA Winter national in Leesburg FL. The video of it starting the truck is on You Tube.

Edited September 19, 2022 by Brocky

[Freightrain]

Matt.  Wow....what a career!   To think I just have 36 yrs in one machine shop is just kinda dull reading your history.

Thanks for your service.

 

[h67st]

Amen, thanks to guys like you standing in the gap, most Americans don't realize how fortunate we are to have an excellent military to keep things peaceful on our soil. I firmly believe that if we hadn't taken it to the terrorists in their country, we would have had more trouble in ours.

[mrsmackpaul]

Matt I dunno what to say, except thank you

 

You've certainly  had a busy and full life and will have lots memeroies when your lounging about in the retirement home one day 

 

Paul  

[mrsmackpaul]

2 hours ago, h67st said:

Amen, thanks to guys like you standing in the gap, most Americans don't realize how fortunate we are to have an excellent military to keep things peaceful on our soil. I firmly believe that if we hadn't taken it to the terrorists in their country, we would have had more trouble in ours.

I dont think most people in the free world have any idea what goes into keeping it that way 

 

 

Paul

[Joey Mack]

Matt.... You are truly amazing..  My eyes welled up while reading your story... I thank God for creating people like you...   Jojo

[Mark T]

Never any need to make any kind of apology for your post. (endless ? )   You're way more than an average guy restoring a truck....thanks.

[mowerman]

Holy cow I had to make that a two-parter I had to get to work yesterday amazing none of us had any idea 50 likes bud thanks for your services weigh more to you than we realize… Bob

[Red Horse]

Matt,

While I knew a lot about your CSP and Mil experiences, thx for taking the time to give us all such a rundown.  I would have to say your parents did a great job as the apple truly does not fall far from the tree.

[1961H67]

Yes thank you for the  information,, Thank you for your service to Our Country ! 

[mattb73lt]

Again, thank you all very much for the comments.

Moving day, again. Dug the deck out of my friends yard, loaded it and brought it home. I think it's been stored there at least 7 years.  Need to temporarily rob the tail lights off it to wire up on the truck. Monday or Tuesday I'm running the truck over to a local garage to do a VIN verification for DMV. On 10/11, I've got an appointment with them for registration and plates. Hopefully that goes without too much trouble. I'll start getting it more roadworthy with driving and adjusting things as I start to focus on the deck, hydraulics and some minor structural repair work. I'd like to get the bed mounted and working before the snow flies.

[yarnall]

Gotta move that appointment up so you can drive it to Mack Day next week. 

[mattb73lt]

I’d love to, but I need to prove it out before launching so far from home, that’s a good four hours. Next year it’s on my list, finally!!!

[mowerman]

Well for sure you will draw a big crowd at the DMV in Nevada has commercial antique tags registration and plates are really cheap here is it the same way in your state??????bob

[mattb73lt]

Dropped the deck in the yard today and started to take a look at it. The plan was always to re-wood it, as it had some rot holes in it. Storage wasn't kind to it and the rest of the wood is gone, now. Picked away at it and I'll have to replace a bunch of the cross supports. I should have time this coming week to strip all the wood off to see what I'm facing. 

I have a charity convoy event to go to on Sunday, so I've been giving the other truck a little love. I have all the paper work squared away to get it registered and, hopefully, get some plates for it on 10/11. I did run it to a local garage to get the VIN verified (state requirement) and that was cool to hear it bark going to and from there. I've put about 4-5 miles on it from that and running it around the neighborhood. It really needs some weight on the rear axle, as it'll spin the tires with ease and the ride is like it doesn't have any springs in it. The ride between the two trucks is much different. The B42 is almost like a pickup truck, smooth, quiet and easy to drive. The B73 is pretty harsh, with a pretty stiff clutch. That should change with adding the body and making all my adjustments to just about everything as it becomes more roadworthy.

The two trucks look good together, but the B73 is just so much taller, the view is better and I'm appreciating the bigger size of the L cab.

[1961H67]

That Bed will look nice with new wood, I see what you were talking about the cross members, I have bought some at Fleetpride for some trailers, maybe check if they have the  same size. And yes that L cab is roomy! 2 nice rides for sure. 

[mowerman]

That oughta be real sharp when you get it done but it looks like you’ve got way enough work there to keep you busy for a long spell ahead ha ha good luck partner And have a ball

[doubleclutchinweasel]

On 9/30/2022 at 6:16 PM, mattb73lt said:

Dropped the deck in the yard today and started to take a look at it. The plan was always to re-wood it, as it had some rot holes in it. Storage wasn't kind to it and the rest of the wood is gone, now. Picked away at it and I'll have to replace a bunch of the cross supports. I should have time this coming week to strip all the wood off to see what I'm facing. 

I have a charity convoy event to go to on Sunday, so I've been giving the other truck a little love. I have all the paper work squared away to get it registered and, hopefully, get some plates for it on 10/11. I did run it to a local garage to get the VIN verified (state requirement) and that was cool to hear it bark going to and from there. I've put about 4-5 miles on it from that and running it around the neighborhood. It really needs some weight on the rear axle, as it'll spin the tires with ease and the ride is like it doesn't have any springs in it. The ride between the two trucks is much different. The B42 is almost like a pickup truck, smooth, quiet and easy to drive. The B73 is pretty harsh, with a pretty stiff clutch. That should change with adding the body and making all my adjustments to just about everything as it becomes more roadworthy.

The two trucks look good together, but the B73 is just so much taller, the view is better and I'm appreciating the bigger size of the L cab.

I still can't get over that truck.  I wanna say it looks like it just rolled off the assembly line.  But, I think that might be an insult.  I don't know that they ever looked that good from the factory.  Only thing wrong with it is that it's not sittin' in my driveway.  That would make it better.

[mowerman]

Man you said it…. Bob

[mattb73lt]

27 minutes ago, doubleclutchinweasel said:

I still can't get over that truck.  I wanna say it looks like it just rolled off the assembly line.  But, I think that might be an insult.  I don't know that they ever looked that good from the factory.  Only thing wrong with it is that it's not sittin' in my driveway.  That would make it better.

Thanks, Doubleclutchinweasel. It’s been a lot of work to bring it back, for sure. I do love seeing it sitting there in the driveway. Especially since it sat in pieces for so long scattered about the barn. Tried to make it my best restoration yet, after practicing on my other vehicles. Now I can’t wait to get it done and put it to some use!!