OC-46 Build Progress

[hotratz]

This is my 1957 Oliver/Cletrac OC-46 crawler/loader. This is how it was when I picked it up one frozen day in Cle Elum, WA. The previous owner had started to do a rebuild on it but only finished going through the undercarriage and had the engine completely rebuilt. There was some painting done but mostly over rust and dirt.



After I got it home I started stripping all the parts off down to the frame and undercarriage.

Before:

After:


Then some cleaning and prep and paint and new hardware:



Installed engine, Hydro pump and tank with rebuilt hydro controls, Lift arm cylinders and lift arm supports.




Lift arm prep and paint:



Phosphate coating process for hardware:


Lift arm, links and bucket cylinders installed:


Rebuilt clutch linkage assembly, Made new pins and bushings:


The dash consumed many hours. Lot of welding/filling up holes and cracks:






My 12V alternator conversion: "Click here for write up"



Made new radiator frame:


Made lower housing cover and new panel to incorporate hour meter and   idiot lights (new addition) I made the legend plates for GEN and OIL



As it is today:



Still have to get into the gearbox and finish some sheet metal before I can move any dirt with it but I'm gett'n close. I'll update the progress pics as I go.

[Orangeman]

Looks Great Hotratz...Keep Up the Good Work.  How about doing an OC-96 for your next project.

Keep the piccy's rolling.  

[hotratz]

.....How about doing an OC-96 for your next project.

    :cry:

[Blake Malkamaki]

Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing the pictures! They are great help to everyone.

Blake

[hotratz]

O.K. just some more progress pics. I found out that my reverse idler gear and the duplex gear (2nd/rev) was toast so I had to pull the trans out. This is an area I had not been into so out it came. Just some pictures of the poor thing again with it's guts spilled on my shop floor. This is fine though because I'm finding a lot of things that should be addressed before this crawler in put back in commission. The gear box is rebuilt now and I'm in the process of rebuilding the final drives making sure everything is replaced before it goes back together.

[hotratz]

OK, I've made some more progress lately and can now see light at the end of the tunnel. As of today the only pieces I have left to attack are the tracks and the bucket. the sheet metal is finished and painted and will be bolted up in the next couple days. Here's a few more pictures. the rest not posted are in my restore album.




Had to add a gusset for the counter wieght bracket to stop the stress cracking at the top of the saddle.






I had to make new tool box lids. I relocated the hinges to the outside to make them rain proof. The old piano hinge was installed so that rain water leaked right into the boxes.




Some sheet metal work





You can still see where the decal is suppose to go so I wanted to document it.



Replaced a torn corner and made reinforcement for both sides of the front of the hood.




Some more reinforcement for rusted away metal.



Added some diamond plate for the floorboards (bling)




Look at the dust on this thing! Can't wait to get it out of the shop and wash it.



More to come in the next couple weeks!

[oliverchris]

Very Inspiring! Well done...I love the diamond plate - nice touch.

[John D]

Steve,
It's looking great.  Thanks for the detailed photos and description.  It takes guts to do it right - especially to tear it all apart to get into the transmission when it was getting so close to done.  After what you found, bet you're glad you did it then!  

Keep those photos coming!

Oh, and thanks for the 12v alternator conversion document!  Now THAT I could use on my AG-6

[hotratz]

I appreciate your comments John although sometimes I think my obsession with doing it right is a fault of mine. It seems to take me forever to complete things because of it. I know if I don't I'll agonize about it later. This project has taken me almost three years but I've learned a lot and it's been very satisfying. I especially love coming to this forum and seeing what everyone else is up to with their projects. There is so much variety.

[hotratz]

Grill cap installed. Too bad most of it gets covered up by the grill guard anyway

[Gazer61]

I am not sure how you could bring yourself to work this show tractor

[hotratz]

Slightly more progress..





In honor of my newly born Grand daughter, Isabella Rose Cameron

[Oliver_collector]

The OC-4 is looking great!

Could you tell me a little more about the phosphate coating? Is it what is also called black oxide?

[hotratz]

Yes, Black, Gray, Olive Green oxide coating is the same process. The military calls it "parkerizing" It comes in a concentrate that you mix with water. Heat to 190-200 deg. F in a stainless tub or pan. I sandblast all the parts prior to dipping in the solution. Most parts only need to be submerged in solution for about 10 mins. I then pull the parts and let dry and apply a light oil, usually WD-40. It's great for parts that you want a rust resistant finish on when paint really isn't a good option.

[Oliver_collector]

Ok, I'm familiar with parkerizing too, but didn't realize it was the same thing. Where can one get the concentrate?