What Really Happened To Matt Stetar From Diesel Creek?

At one of the world’s largest gatherings of antique machinery enthusiasts, surrounded by the roar of engines and the smell of diesel, thousands of fans came together to witness a celebration of mechanical heritage. Among the crowd stood Matt Stetar—a name that anyone passionate about restoring heavy equipment has likely heard.

Hailing from the outskirts of Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, Matt is the creator behind Diesel Creek, a YouTube channel where forgotten iron giants are brought back to life. No flashy effects, no fake drama—just the raw grind of wrenches, the hiss of hydraulic lines, and the steady hands of a man who believes every old machine deserves another chance. But behind the camera and clanging metal is a story of perseverance, grit, and a love for machinery that refused to die.

From a Sewing Room to a Love of Steel

Matt often jokes that he was the “oops kid” in his family, born much later than his two sisters. His first bedroom? His mom’s old sewing room. No one in the family was particularly mechanically inclined, except for a grandfather who had worked as a mechanic—but sadly passed away before Matt was old enough to learn from him.

As a kid, while others were glued to video games, Matt was busy tearing apart anything with bolts and bearings—lawnmowers, bikes, old toys—just to see how they worked. There were no mentors, no manuals, just curiosity and trial and error. His childhood bike became a regular “test subject,” often left in pieces on the garage floor before finally being put back together.

By the time high school rolled around, Matt’s passion for machines was undeniable. But like many tradespeople, he ran headfirst into the stigma: “College is the only way to succeed.” Teachers urged him to forget about turning wrenches and aim for a degree. Matt didn’t listen. He spent his free time fixing dirt bikes, tinkering with engines, and uploading random videos to YouTube as far back as 2011. At the time, making money from videos was a distant dream—those early uploads earned just enough to buy a snack, not a socket set.

Hard Work, Odd Jobs, and a Pandemic Pivot

After graduation, Matt earned a welding certification—a skill that would become essential later. His first job was with a landscaping company, building stone walls and digging trenches. The more time he spent around heavy equipment, the more hooked he became. Eventually, he scraped together enough to buy his very first excavator—a milestone moment that hinted at what was coming.

But the early years weren’t glamorous. Matt bounced between jobs: a machine shop, a pipeline company, a factory. The paychecks were steady, but something was missing. “I wanted to work with real machines, not stare at a screen,” he later recalled on the Essential Craftsman podcast.

Then came 2020—and with it, the pandemic. Matt was laid off. What could have been a setback became a turning point. He dusted off his old YouTube channel and launched Diesel Creek, this time with a clear vision: restore heavy equipment and take viewers along for the ride.

One simple video titled “Will it start? Abandoned excavator left for years” lit the fuse. Viewers couldn’t get enough of the raw, unfiltered footage of Matt reviving a dead machine, one seized bolt and broken line at a time, until that engine roared again.

No background music. No staged drama. Just reality—and people loved it.

The Diesel Creek Formula: Authenticity Over Hype

What makes hundreds of thousands of people spend an hour watching a man fix rusty machinery? The answer is authenticity.

Matt doesn’t hide the struggles. When a rusted bolt refuses to budge, you feel his frustration. When a hydraulic hose bursts, he explains why it failed and shows the fix with the most basic tools.

Some standout projects include:

Bringing a 50-Year-Old Dozer Back to Life: Weeks spent rebuilding the tracks, repairing hydraulics, and repainting the beast.

Resurrecting a Forgotten Farm Truck: From a rusted shell to a road-ready hauler.

The 1957 Autocar Revival: One of Diesel Creek’s most iconic series, with millions of views as the truck rolled again after decades of slumber.

It’s not just about fixing machines. It’s about patience, problem-solving, and the quiet satisfaction of making something useful again.

From Hobby to Full-Time Hustle

By 2021, Diesel Creek was no longer a side project—it was a full-time job. Revenue came from YouTube ads, merchandise sales, affiliate links, and sponsorships from brands like Shell.

By 2023, the channel surpassed 700,000 subscribers and 150 million views. Many videos now rack up millions of views, especially the iconic “Will it start?” challenges. Matt expanded into homestead projects, building a shop from scratch, and even restoring an old church into a living space. But the heart of Diesel Creek remains the same: taking the old and making it new, with your own two hands.

He even opened a full-fledged workshop—Diesel Creek HQ—to handle bigger projects, and launched dieselcreek.com, where fans can buy hats, shirts, mugs, and gear that celebrate the hard-working spirit of the brand.

Legendary Projects That Made Diesel Creek a Hit

Among hundreds of uploads, a few stand out as fan favorites:

The 1957 Autocar Truck: After months of wrenching, the truck fired up and plowed through a snowstorm in early 2023.

Gallion 503 Road Grader: A 1960s grader rescued after 24 years abandoned, with major welding and hydraulic work to bring it back.

The $700 Crane Truck: Bought at auction with a seized engine, revived with sheer grit and ingenuity.

Allis Chalmers Forklift: A Facebook Marketplace find turned into a shop workhorse.

What do these stories have in common? Small budgets, big creativity, and an iron will to finish the job.

It’s About More Than Money

According to Net Worth Spot, Matt’s estimated net worth as of 2025 is around $1.8 million, thanks to ad revenue, merchandise, and brand partnerships. But if you ask him what drives Diesel Creek, the answer isn’t cash. In a 2022 podcast, he put it simply:

“I just want to make enough to keep making videos. Getting rich was never the goal.”

That mindset shows in the work. While many creators chase viral trends, Matt stays focused on what he loves: real machines, real problems, and real fixes. Diesel Creek proves that hard work, authenticity, and a willingness to learn can carve out a niche in today’s digital world.

What’s Next for Diesel Creek?

Matt has no plans to slow down. He’s pushing forward with more restorations, expanding the “Building a Homestead from Nothing” series, completing his new shop, and transforming an old church into a home. His mission remains clear: share knowledge, inspire others, and keep the passion alive.

With the channel closing in on 1 million subscribers in 2025, that milestone is just around the corner. But for Matt, the real reward isn’t a gold play button—it’s hearing an engine roar to life under the open Pennsylvania sky.