A restoration project gives new life to an aged utility vehicle on the Gaston College Dallas campus
A familiar sight at Gaston College in Dallas has been Daniel McLaurin, the College’s on-site locksmith, maneuvering a well-aged Bobcat utility vehicle around campus. The vehicle, which was purchased by the College in 2009, was beginning to have numerous mechanical and other issues and was recently replaced by a utility van which will support the critical security role played by McLaurin.
The Bobcat, however, will have another life thanks to the efforts of Officer Mike McPherson of the Gaston College Campus Police, with the help of his father. Officer McPherson decided to make a project of restoring the vehicle and repurposing it to support Campus Police and Security. The restored vehicle is ideally suited to haul a variety of security-related items around campus.
The father and son team donated their time and skills to the restoration, which included:
- Pressure washing the entire vehicle before disassembly.
- Disassembling and cleaning each individual part.
- Removing old decals.
- Repairing the camber and toe on the vehicle’s front end.
- Painting the body, top, hood, and box.
- Painting the rims and hubs.
- Painting the brush guard and grill.
- Reassembling and detailing the entire vehicle.
- Adding Gaston College Campus Police decals.
Officer McPherson coordinated with S & M Auto, an auto body shop in Stanley, N.C., to have the vehicle painted at no cost.
Campus Police and Security have expressed appreciation that the restored Bobcat vehicle will add to their efforts to provide a safe and secure working and learning environment to the Gaston College community. “With great pride and ingenuity Officer McPherson took a run-down piece of machinery and turned it into a useful, viable vehicle for Campus Police without spending College funds,” said Captain T.D. Wilson.
