Quoted from jwilson:I'll be honest, I'm a bit disappointed to see you basically just replaced everything. Hardly a "restoration". You just found a cabinet for your backglass and playfield, essentially.
Thanks for the thread dump. I'm sorry you're disappointed; I changed the thread title to cheer you up, buttercup 
You might have missed a few posts, or maybe I didn't explain it well enough, so here is the recap of the 'replacement' project:
I purchased a water damaged machine that was missing the backglass, score displays, and legs. I REPLACED the backglass with a NOS glass (Maybe I should have kept it as a true 'restoration' and not put any backglass in the game?) I REPLACED the score displays with a new xpin set. (Maybe I shouldn't have, so that the 'restored' machine wouldn't have score displays?) Then I was so bold as to REPLACE the legs with a used set. (Should I have just left it sitting on the ground to preserve the 'restoration'?) The original playfield glass that came with the machine also blew up in my hands, so I decided I should REPLACE that too. (Maybe I should have swept up the diamonds and spread them over the playfield to preserve the 'restoration'?)
Then the cabinet work started. In the lower cab, everything was removed. Then I scrubbed the interior down with vinegar and concrobium to remove the mold/mildew several times. I removed the bottom panel, then finished sanding the interior so I could REPLACE the interior paint. The bottom panel was REPLACED (Maybe I should have 'restored' the soggy broken original that was covered in mold?). The original ground wire braid was fuzzy green, so I REPLACED it. The original leg tees were rusty and stripped, so I REPLACED them. I REPLACED the four t-nuts in the cab. Every screw that came out of the cab was rusted, so I REPLACED each one. I also REPLACED the flipper buttons (or maybe I could have restored the broken originals?) and cabinet switches. The lockdown bar and receiver were soaked/sanded and polished up. I REPLACED the beer seal. The plunger assembly was soaked/tumbled/ and polished up with new springs, washers, and sleeve. The cabinet power switch was so corroded that it didn't work electronically and it was REPLACED with a used switch.
The transformer mounting board was rotten, so I cut a new one to REPLACE it. The transformer bottoms were swelling/expanding between the plates due to rust, so I dissemble them to remove the rust and repainted the pieces. The other brackets/metal were soaked/sanded and painted. Again, all the fasteners were rusted and most snapped during removal, so I REPLACED them. The molex connectors for the jumpers were corroded, so I REPLACED all of the pins. I REPLACED the power cord (maybe I should have 'restored' the original that was missing the plug?) and fuse holder. Once all the pieces of the transformer panel were restored, I REPLACED the assembly back in the machine.
The tilt panel also had a rotten board that I REPLACED. The roll tilt was rusted completely through, and was no longer in one piece, so I REPLACED it with a used part. The tilt mech was corroded, and didn't function electronically, so I REPLACED it with a new part. The sound pot was seized with rust so I REPLACED it. All the fasteners were REPLACED. The remaining brackets/metal for the bell and knocker were all soaked/sanded and painted or polished. Once all the pieces of the tilt panel were restored, I REPLACED the assembly back in the machine.
The coin door was stripped down inside and out. The interior parts were soaked and painted/polished. The upper and lower coin mech holders (that the coin rolls through) were very rusty and I didn't think they would function if painted (and would surely rust if not recoated) so I REPLACED them with used parts from a spare coin door. The coin switches didn't work reliably, so I REPLACED them with used parts from a spare door. The coin mechs were REPLACED with different token mechs. The lamp sockets were missing/corroded and had to be REPLACED with new ones. I REPLACED the test switch decal. The coin door and trim pieces were repainted. Once all the pieces were restored, I REPLACED the coin door back on the machine.
The head of the machine was much less affected by the moisture damage, thankfully. But there were still plenty of things to REPLACE. The light panel had fuzzy green wiring for the gi sockets, so the wiring got REPLACED. All the light sockets were rusted out and some even crumbled upon removal (maybe I should have 'restored' them?). All the sockets were REPLACED. Every staple was rusted and broken in half when removed. All the staples were REPLACED. The light panel front was sanded down and repainted. The metal/brackets were soaked/sanded/painted. Most of the hardware broke when removed, so I REPLACED all of it. The speakers were rusty and I couldn't think of a safe way to clean them without risking damage to the cone, so I REPLACED them. Soaked/sanded/painted the metal channel pieces. The speaker fabric had a lot of crap stuck to it, so I REPLACED the fabric.
Does that sound like a great donor cab to drop a backglass and playfield into? It was 'essentially' plug and play, and 'hardly a restoration'... 
The original playfield is bent at several different points. Its not warped from being stored without rails on it, it is bent and was bent while the rails were installed. There is mold on the playfield, many rusted metal parts, and almost every fastener is rusted. It is not economically restorable (if it can even be saved from the bends). Note that I did take this path on the related Sorcerer project (that playfield wasn't warped/bent) and it took forever to recover each piece from the corrosion damage. It was truly awful, and not something I wish to do again. I found a used Laser Cue playfield for less than what clear coat materials and replacing rusty parts would cost me on the original playfield, (not to mention the extra labor hours) so I REPLACED it. It would be incredibly foolish to spend more time and money on an option that would yield lower results. The second playfield wasn't without its own issues and still needed to be shopped. Top and bottom, all the common wear parts and broken parts were REPLACED. I elected not to touch up and clear coat the playfield.
Looking back, I do like your idea of a 'restoration' project...it sounds like a lot less work than my 'REPLACEMENT' project 
20170903_182317 (resized).jpg
.... 
Everything in the dead/deceased photos were replaced, everything else was reused.
. I used the aluminum color of that line of paint (in the traditional spray cans).
