We've got someone who'll pull the '71 onto a flatbed and bring it into town...but i have to get rid of the '79 parts truck before then (plus some other stuff, i feel like my mom is totally blackmailing me to get stuff done so the truck can come to the house

haha) In order to circumvent this rule, my dad is going to hopefully drop it at a local shop that we know the owner and have had some good work done there, and let him do the initial checks and see if the motor is seized or not.
New u-joints on the rear shaft are a million times better, didn't think the old ones had so much play until i got under there and started wiggling the d-shaft, plus the slightly different angle caused by the 35's. Also the drivers side lockout wouldn't disengage, so i popped the cap off today to check it, just sticking. I need to find a set of Warn Premos since these regular warns are not doing so hot (especially after running the wrong hub on the drivers side for a day, inner bearing was too big, i think it messed up some stuff in the hub.....it still works though

)
Also dug out the full BestTop soft top for the '73 that my dad bought years ago but never installed, we might end up using it for either the '73 or the '71 (with some tweaking)...
Fuel gauge isn't reading, just sits a little above 3/4 tank...so i've either got it wired wrong, the gauge is bad, or i have a bad ground. Sender is brand new. Tried to fill up the tank today and i'm gonna have to check the vent tube tomorrow b/c it's not doing it's job. I think I may need to trim the hard line/tube so that from the tank to the connection on the filler neck is completely straight w/o kinks.
I continue to be amazed at how well the '73 drives. Seriously. Other than the passenger seat mount creaking cuz of how it's mounted, and the drivers side front fender squeaking against the top of the slider some, it is QUIET. Steering is tight, the BFG's are riding great, engine cranks everytime I turn the key. I think of where (and what) it was when we took it hunting, or after we revived it in that pasture, and I am proud to look out and know that I did so much of the work with my own hands. (All my friends think i'm crazy and need to get a life, but eh, who needs em?

haha)