7s Pinballorama
This is an odd machine. Made by Chicago Coin in 1971, it isn’t really a pinball machine, but it kind of is.
There is no ball plunger. To launch the ball there is a turret between the flippers that moves back and forth. You hit a flipper button to launch the ball. From there, you use the flippers to try and get all the balls on the playfield. The balls are on an upper deck with switches hanging below them. Strange thing.
Big Hit is a 1952 baseball themed pinball machine from Chicago Coin. This machine uses lights behind the backglass to show scoring. This was the common method until score reels became the trend a year or two after this one was produced. This machine has one score reel type mechanic used for the credit indicator. I thought it was interesting the credit wheel wasn’t printed or painted. Instead, it used a printed piece of paper and it is taped to the wheel.
The machine came from my neighbour a couple doors down. He bought it about 10 years ago and intended to fix it up. The person he bought it from had it for 10 or more years and intended to fix it up. It’s basically been sitting for over 20 years. I bought it and it finally got fixed up.
On the playfield there are two captive balls. These are supposed to emulate a baseball. When you hit a target, a coil smacks the captive ball around a loop. Kind of a cute design.
This machine will be on display in the arcade and we will fire it up from time to time. If you want to give this machine a go, ask.
Found this Bally Motordome pinball machine is fairly good shape, it was just dirty and needed some attention.
We cleaned the playfield, all posts, ramps and plastics. Changed all the rubber, gave it some wax and replaced all the bulbs with LEDs. Some LED light strips were added on the playfield to give it more more light (and a bit more pizzazz).
The music on this machine is nuts. Bwa-bwa-bwa-BWA Bwa-bwa-bwa-BWA. You got to love it.
Spectrum is an usual pinball machine from Bally in 1981, and a somewhat rare one with only about 500 leaving the factory.
This machine has no plunger to launch the ball, instead you launch the ball from the center using the right flipper button.
Game play is interesting. You try to unlock the colour code on the playfield.