Total Restoration of a 15 Motor Patrol

Since there's not much on this board of a total tear down and rebuild of a machine step by step I figured it's time to post some pictures.
This is the beginning of a on going restoration of my model 15 Motor Patrol. I bought this about 2 years ago and haven't done much in the last year other than totally tear it down and get parts prepped for sand blasting. As of April, I finally got the urge to take the main frame and a few parts down to a local sand blasting company. I didn't want to take a whole bin down because I'm afraid one or two pieces may get lost. I doubt I could find replacements for some of these because I'm told these machines are far and few. As far as I know there maybe 7-8 examples known from talking to other members here.

I posted some of these pictures previously on the board but I'm posting them again to start off this thread.
This is how I found it in April 09' The owner said the tractor's been sitting there in his yard since the mid 1970's when he tried to unstick the pistons.
[img]http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/1600/1000527x.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/561/1002568u.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3991/1002566g.jpg[/img]


This is the grader attachment as found laying in a Hemlock forest. He's not sure how long it been there because his now deceased dad brought it home way back a few years earlier. Surprisingly most of the parts were there other than the pedals that attach to the steering clutch levers,a gearbox that shifts the blade sideways and two pieces from the scarifier that can be seen in the last photo.(I'm looking for these if anybody knows of a #7 or #9 Auto Patrol I can get them from,mainly the gearbox)
[img]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8615/1002559i.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/2135/1002557y.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4129/1002556v.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/1614/1002554.jpg[/img]
Loaded up for Pittsburgh
[img]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/5308/1002763q.jpg[/img]

We started to take some of it apart in the fall of 2009. My little forklift can't pick up the whole grader so I dismantled it on the trailer until it was light enough to pick.
[img]http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/7523/1002863a.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4144/1002865r.jpg[/img]
Free at last!
[img]http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5391/1002867k.jpg[/img]
After it was inside the shop we tore the blade and circle apart.
[img]http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/5411/1002870u.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/6914/1002871n.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/5212/1002873v.jpg[/img]
We noticed some gray paint on the bottom and also the grader had the older silver and red decals barley visible on the main frame under the yellow paint. I'm not sure what color to paint it but my son want's it to be gray.
[img]http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/4452/1002874g.jpg[/img]
Not much to salvage here😆
[img]http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/1648/1002875d.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/7149/1002876j.jpg[/img]
Blade and circle all torn down
[img]http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/1923/1002877j.jpg[/img]
Not much done till April 2011. Now I'm ready to start sand blasting.
[img]http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4042/dscn0356f.jpg[/img]
Some circle parts and front end parts blasted.
[img]http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1922/dscn0485x.jpg[/img]
Got some time this past weekend to prime the parts that were blasted. I was getting worried if they would rust some because we had pretty much nonstop rain in May.
[img]http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/8779/dscn0533j.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5185/dscn0534i.jpg[/img]

Here are the lift screw assemblies torn down and degreased.
[img]http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1791/dscn0535g.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3572/dscn0536z.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2760/dscn0532o.jpg[/img]
Today I started on the steering box assembly
[img]http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/2433/dscn0531oe.jpg[/img]

looks great steve, can't wait to see the rest of the process, thanks for sharing

Keep up the good work, I can see the completed machine as I close my eyes! Please post plenty of pics, including how you overcome snags along the way

Looking good Steve I have to come and check it out👍

Super job Thanx for sharing.Looking forward to more progress updates!

I forgot I had my album on here filled with all the early pictures of this rebuild. Here's a link to it:

http://www.acmoc.org/bb/album.php?albumid=6

Steve,I hate to say it but been there done that.Your pictures look just like the one I have of my 15 motor patrol.They bring back some fond memories.Other than the nice building you have there to work in I would say you were doing mine.Keep us all posted on your progress.Mike Durkin

Steve, that is awesome. It's such a pleasure to see the pictures before and after. Makes me think that my D2 (still not started...) won't be unpossible : ) Just looking at that screw mechanism makes me think how much solid technology these things have in them - not rocket science but good solid engineering. Can't wait to see the picture of you grading with it down the main straight at the show.

Cheers,
Neil.

Steve,if you are still looking for the gearbox,there is a Cat 10 or 11 grader listed in the for sale section.It alittle far but you may be able to buy just the parts you need.Mike

Looks great Steve.

Very nice find! Im looking forward to the photos in the future. Did they come with those cleats on the track pads? Or are they added on later?