[necdb3]

Anyone into pinball machines? Just picked up a "South Park" machine. Looking for a "High Speed"

What do you have?

[tekheavy]

I have a Williams Comet. Have had it for about 20 years. Don't really use that much anymore. It has become more of an end table than a pinball machine.

[mgarblik]

I have a 1978 Bally Playboy Machine. In collector car lingo I would say it's in strong #2 condition. I keep it in pretty good shape and play it at least a couple times a month. Had for 20+ years. There is good support for those early Bally electronic games. Just recently rebuilt the power supply board. Lots of parts available on E-bay. Even found an NOS playfield for the game. Couldn't afford it though. They are fun.

[ponchjoe]

I still enjoy them although I don't own one. I do have a friend looking for an Eight Ball Deluxe if you happen to know where one is.

[Flynbye]

My 15 year old son is playing my Meteor machine I've had since '89 as I type. Had a Star Trek machine that I traded for a bottle Coke machine that still keeps my beer cold!

[1965gp]

We have a little chief (or big chief?) in the garage- kids love it.

[pancho400cid]

1978 Bally Playboy Machine

COOL!

Bunnies from the 70's..... Is there anything better?

(hint: no)

[mgarblik]

It's a really cool machine and a time capsule like our beloved cars. Think about the size of the Bally manufacturing facility that made that machine for a moment. In 1978 they made 20,000 of just that one machine. They made 5 other machines that year with the same electronics and wiring systems. The Playboy machine was the most popular but the KISS machine and Evil Kneivel were also popular. So lets round the numbers to 75,000 pinball machines total in 12 months of production. Think of the amount of plywood, the paint shop, the miles of wires, solenoids, transformers, packing and shipping all over the world. It was BIG business, all done in Chicago, USA. Now Bally only makes gambling machines and I have no idea where. This machine is early computer controlled technology. It has diagnostic codes and internal test modes very much like GM CCC systems of 1980-81. (CCC=computer controlled carburetors) Playboy was hot at that time, Hugh Hefner was a big celebrity, had his own 737, and clubs all over the world. Fun times.

[necdb3]

I spent many hours playing the machines as a kid. We had a big arcade not far from me. Like the cars, a lot of good memories with friends and my brothers.

[Inogame]

I've got an old Bally's Evel Knievel machine from '77. Its been powered down for 20 years though so I'll have to get it reworked before pluggin it back in.
I believe those models had batteries on the board, and they'd leak and fail, guaranteed that's happened with mine. lol. Glass it perfect but paint could use some touch up.

My Great uncle had a coin op business and he willed a machine to me when he passed.

[Lee]

I've got a Gor Gar, the first talking pinball.

The ball-eject died, and I haven't bothered to try to fix it.

[mgarblik]

As mentioned, there is allot of support for those machines. Almost all the boards can be purchased refurbished. There is at least one battery as you mentioned that will need to be de soldered and replaced. There are also come caps you would want to replace as well as clean up lots of contacts and terminals. If you spent a couple hundred dollars and 20-30 hours cleaning everything up you would have a fun machine again. Many up-dates are available if you want to go crazy, from full LED light conversion, to major sound up grades, to an entire new CPU if you want. I left mine fully functional and stock appearing, kind of like my cars. Enjoy. Those vintage Bally machines from that era are worth from a low of $1500.00 in more or less working condition to 6-7K in beautiful original or restored condition.

Originally Posted by Inogame

I've got an old Bally's Evel Knievel machine from '77. Its been powered down for 20 years though so I'll have to get it reworked before pluggin it back in.
I believe those models had batteries on the board, and they'd leak and fail, guaranteed that's happened with mine. lol. Glass it perfect but paint could use some touch up.

My Great uncle had a coin op business and he willed a machine to me when he passed.

[ponchjoe]

Originally Posted by Lee

I've got a Gor Gar, the first talking pinball.

The ball-eject died, and I haven't bothered to try to fix it.

One of my absolute favorites! Our bowling alley had one when I was in my teens, it got a lot of $ out of me.

[Diego]

Originally Posted by ponchjoe

One of my absolute favorites! Our bowling alley had one when I was in my teens, it got a lot of $ out of me.

Me too!

My dad has this one:

http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=824

[400 4spd.]

In the early 80's I worked for a guy who had one of these in the break room. I played it so much I eventually rolled the score board over.

[67droptop]

I bought a fully restored Pin-Bot last year!

[Lee]

Originally Posted by ponchjoe

One of my absolute favorites! Our bowling alley had one when I was in my teens, it got a lot of $ out of me.

LOL! Our bowling alley had one, too!

The alley was actually right across the street from our high school, and we had an open campus. My buddies and I would walk across for lunch nearly every day. Buy a burger, fries and a Coke, and play Gor Gar, Space Invaders, Missile Attack,...

[ponchjoe]

Originally Posted by 67droptop

I bought a fully restored Pin-Bot last year!

Pin-Bot was also at our bowling alley, loved it as well.

And Missle Command took quite a few dollars from me too

[Inogame]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

As mentioned, there is allot of support for those machines. Almost all the boards can be purchased refurbished. There is at least one battery as you mentioned that will need to be de soldered and replaced. There are also come caps you would want to replace as well as clean up lots of contacts and terminals. If you spent a couple hundred dollars and 20-30 hours cleaning everything up you would have a fun machine again. Many up-dates are available if you want to go crazy, from full LED light conversion, to major sound up grades, to an entire new CPU if you want. I left mine fully functional and stock appearing, kind of like my cars. Enjoy. Those vintage Bally machines from that era are worth from a low of $1500.00 in more or less working condition to 6-7K in beautiful original or restored condition.

I've been in touch with a company that does restorations in my area. I'm looking for a new house right now, once that search is over I'm going to send may machine over to be refurbished and I'll set it up. I don't really have a good place for it in my current home so I don't want to have it all redone only to tear it down and move it after a short time.
I'd like to keep it as original as parts permit. I just think it's cool.

[necdb3]

Originally Posted by 67droptop

I bought a fully restored Pin-Bot last year!

Another one that I spent good money on.