B-73 Restoration

[1961H67]

I Love It ! 

[yarnall]

I can’t believe you are still working on this truck. In the time you’ve been messing with it I’ve managed to take the transmission pan off my 68 Nova and set it on the roof, put my 53 Chevy pickup up in jack stands and pull the front wheels and replace half the spark plug wires on my wife’s pickup.  At this rate you won’t make it to Macungie next year, yet alone this year.  I’ll never get to see this truck.  Mike 

[mechohaulic]

On 4/1/2024 at 12:29 PM, mattb73lt said:

Back home again after a four month slumber. After checking it over it fired right up after very little effort. I had a friend go with me to drive my car back. He said,”Damn, that thing is fast!”. I thought I was just chugging along and shifting it easy, keeping the RPM’s down while I got used to driving it again. The speedometer is a little off and I was just moving along in traffic, but he said we almost hit 80 a couple of times. It really doesn’t feel like it at all.

But, now to get a few things wrapped up on it for its first real truck show at Yankee Candle on 5/5!!

any idea of your next appearance at a show?? have been looking forward for weeks to may 5th since you wrote of having high hopes of the B 73making it debut there. due to conflicting events same day I can't make the Deerfield show.  the Knights of Columbus , to which I am a member are hosting an important gathering ;;;Darn . 52 weeks a year/ 365days a year seems everything takes place same day.

[mattb73lt]

Also looking at Bethlehem, 6/8&9, Brooklyn 6/23. I'm thinking about Macungie, 6/14&15, but I'm going to need a couple of days for that and that's right at the start of my busy season.

[mattb73lt]

It still amazes me when I look back at this truck when I found it to what I built out of it. I have to admit the transformation is remarkable. I spent the afternoon finishing a lot of small things. I also ordered a whole bunch of new tie down equipment for the deck. I had a lot of hand me down stuff in the other truck, but figured I'd boom up and get some new and matching chains, binders and straps. All that will get organized and put into the new storage boxes once I get them mounted. I had to reschedule my meeting with the sign painter to this Thursday. I was hoping I could get the lettering and striping done before the first show, but it'll get done in a few weeks, once we settle on what I want to do to it.

[mowerman]

22 hours ago, mattb73lt said:

Also looking at Bethlehem, 6/8&9, Brooklyn 6/23. I'm thinking about Macungie, 6/14&15, but I'm going to need a couple of days for that and that's right at the start of my busy season.

Excellent I’ll be there this year. Looking forward to seeing it in person… bob

[mattb73lt]

The Merritt boxes I ordered came in last week and I spent today installing them. They’re matching 5’ long boxes, with dual doors that swing to the side. That’ll give me better access for my equipment. The left one is going to be for all my deck equipment and the right one will be just for storage and carrying stuff. I was going to order 2 DEF boxes and mount them to the headache rack. But, after installing these two I have a good 36” area on the passenger side between the storage and battery boxes. I’ll order one more box for there and that will be just for truck items (oils, tools and parts.

I met with the sign painter on Wednesday evening. She took a bunch of pictures and we exchanged some ideas. She’s going to send me some mockups in a bit. She’s about 4-5 weeks out. So, it’ll be a bit before that gets done.

[mechohaulic]

29 minutes ago, mattb73lt said:

The Merritt boxes I ordered came in last week and I spent today installing them. They’re matching 5’ long boxes, with dual doors that swing to the side. That’ll give me better access for my equipment. The left one is going to be for all my deck equipment and the right one will be just for storage and carrying stuff. I was going to order 2 DEF boxes and mount them to the headache rack. But, after installing these two I have a good 36” area on the passenger side between the storage and battery boxes. I’ll order one more box for there and that will be just for truck items (oils, tools and parts.

I met with the sign painter on Wednesday evening. She took a bunch of pictures and we exchanged some ideas. She’s going to send me some mockups in a bit. She’s about 4-5 weeks out. So, it’ll be a bit before that gets done.

no words on those ;; beyond words! looked to be such a lot of space battery to drives ; but those  filled it in perfectly .not to little or too much . one question :(not another one  LOL). the axle nuts ??chrome caps would be tooo much , paint ?? 

[mattb73lt]

I was just going to put acorn nut covers on the axle studs and lug nuts. I just put a set on the front wheels, really dresses the wheel up. I like the red axle stub sticking out and the little bit of red showing on the front hubs.

[mrsmackpaul]

They look good, but are they upside down ?

The reason I ask is every trailer or truck I have owned the lid opens down not up

Gives a hand bench to sit stuff on while searching thru the box and you don't hit your head, the light shines in there for searching about

Don't get me wrong, those are sharp looking boxes and I maybe wrong but it appears these hinge up opening 

 

Paul

[mowerman]

Holy popcorn Batman,,,,,,,,,,,, wow… lol thanks for that… bob

[mowerman]

Starting to think the boxes covered it. missing link ha ha now the pin striping and lettering will be overkill….  Bob

[h67st]

6 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

They look good, but are they upside down ?

The reason I ask is every trailer or truck I have owned the lid opens down not up

Gives a hand bench to sit stuff on while searching thru the box and you don't hit your head, the light shines in there for searching about

Don't get me wrong, those are sharp looking boxes and I maybe wrong but it appears these hinge up opening

Paul

They're side opening boxes.

[harrybarbon]

13 hours ago, mattb73lt said:

The Merritt boxes I ordered came in last week and I spent today installing them. They’re matching 5’ long boxes, with dual doors that swing to the side. That’ll give me better access for my equipment. The left one is going to be for all my deck equipment and the right one will be just for storage and carrying stuff. I was going to order 2 DEF boxes and mount them to the headache rack. But, after installing these two I have a good 36” area on the passenger side between the storage and battery boxes. I’ll order one more box for there and that will be just for truck items (oils, tools and parts.

I met with the sign painter on Wednesday evening. She took a bunch of pictures and we exchanged some ideas. She’s going to send me some mockups in a bit. She’s about 4-5 weeks out. So, it’ll be a bit before that gets done.

Matt, any thoughts about putting mud flaps or some protection between the front of drive wheels and rear of storage boxes to protect and keep the box rears looking good and probably the doors as well? The boxes look great.

[mattb73lt]

7 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

They look good, but are they upside down ?

The reason I ask is every trailer or truck I have owned the lid opens down not up

Gives a hand bench to sit stuff on while searching thru the box and you don't hit your head, the light shines in there for searching about

Don't get me wrong, those are sharp looking boxes and I maybe wrong but it appears these hinge up opening 

 

Paul

It’s probably your perspective, maybe just spin your computer 180 degrees. It should look correct🤣🤣. But yes they do open to the sides. Lots of room in them. I have a shelf to add to the left one to help keep it organized.

[mattb73lt]

I was thinking about a pair of those Mack engraved 1/4 stainless fenders, but I don't think they're in production any more. Maybe just a plain set.

[mrsmackpaul]

Perfect now, but the bloods running to my head, to much standing upside down lol

 

Paul 

[mowerman]

well i did hear your toilet water.spins counterclockwise...bob

[mechohaulic]

I know we had a full moon last couple days !!!;;; but wow there are some sick puppies around here . all I had to do was turn computer screen up side down  or was it down side up ??

[mechohaulic]

10 hours ago, mattb73lt said:

It’s probably your perspective, maybe just spin your computer 180 degrees. It should look correct🤣🤣. But yes they do open to the sides. Lots of room in them. I have a shelf to add to the left one to help keep it organized.

bet they double as a good hide away from the other half and the honey do list ,,LOL

[mattb73lt]

Mechohaulic, here's a front wheel with the nut covers installed and one more of the truck after I polished the new boxes. I still have to slap myself that it's mine and that I did it.

[mechohaulic]

THANK YOU for update . question I was asking pertained to rear drive axle  (15/16th ? ) nuts . with this unit better than most museum pieces , the axle nuts themselves are tarnished from air gun install. going in for red paint touch up or smaller nut  chrome caps ?

don't know as if I would want to "slap myself " with thoughts "it's mine "! my luck a slap would wake me up from a amazing dream to find out ; only a dream.  not only a major positive reading/ watching this start to finish build ; most important the inspiration YOU have given so many to continue their builds. nothing on this build was in the ordinary. the B-73 / L cab not the usual B-61 etc; roll off bed not standard . perfect color red with no over kill on chrome. can really be pis--d off I can't make Deerfield ; dates are on my calendar for Bethlehem/ Brooklyn/ Macungie

[mattb73lt]

I have the nut covers for the rear, but i need to order the 15/16" covers for the axle nuts. They're both cadmium plated and yes, once you hit htem with a wrench they will start to tarnish and rust. The front ones already were, even though I was careful installing the,. They are more exposed to the elements than the rears. We'll meet up at one of the upcoming shows!!