Howdy Folks!

Decided it was time to post a gun game restoration thread as they are far and few in between and I think it is important to show that these games can be saved as easily as a pinball machine even though they can look as intimidating but in a different way as the first time you opened up your first EM pinball machine to work on it.

Check this thread out too for other cool gun games that may entice you to want one or more of these gems: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ot-show-us-your-em-gun-games

This project however will be a little different as I going to do some custom mods to this game that will enhance the game features and also be totally reversible as there really are no hacks, just additions that can be removed and machine returned to original, but with these modifications I honestly doubt if I ever sold the game that the next owner and future owners would ever want to remove them.

So basically with this game what I am going to do is make Phantom Gun a super close competitor to the famous Midway's Haunted House gun game (MHH). I think for a spooky gun game theme MHH is the best with spooky music, target call outs when hit, three speed motor, along with a fantastic diorama. Personally I really like Williams games and chose my Phantom Gun as it is a very fun game as well, but also because of the ease of maintenance and availability of parts compared to the MHH for the long haul.

My end game so to speak for my Phantom Gun will be for it to have spooky music/sounds that turns on and off automatically during and after play just like MHH, and One (1) 4" Bell will also be added along with keeping the sound card. The Bell will ring when the shooter reaches each 1000 point increment and when the Phantom target is hit during the special score mode (1000 points) and when 3 gongs from the bell are sounded it means the shooter has accrued Extra Shots at 3000 points which I think will really enhance the fun factor.

Note: Phantom scores (100 points) during its regular scoring cycle.

The mechanical mods will be finished this year with the Cabinet paint touched up with some areas repainted along with a new Backglass from bgresto.com sometime in spring 2015.

Enjoy!

Ken

Game is a nice example and here are some pictures of it when I bought it.

Ken

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So first off a problem that many gun game owners will eventually run into is the targets that move along a PCB track via motor(s) as many gun games use these. There are generally two leads (basically small switch blades) that run along this track and have been mangled throughout the years by wear and tear (the tear part generally from people attempting repairs that have no clue as to what they are doing and mangle the blades).

Seen Here for reference as the replacement parts are no longer available: http://www.planetarypinball.com/reference/partsmanuals/WMS_Parts_1971-1972/index.html#/92/

One of the original blades was about to tear off so on my first attempt to repair it I broke out the solder gun but because of space limitations to get to the blade itself I failed. I then proceeded with the first replacement attempt.

The first time around I replaced just one of the blades with a large blade style as I felt this would help overall for electrical pickup (which it does) but because of space limitations once again (chain in the way, target, etc. Not only did I fail once again as I did not replace the broken Bakelite spacer under the switches, but caused a short which in turn fried a motor coil badly, but luckily it still works (for now) which makes me mad as I know a replacement from Pinball Resource will run about $150.00 which includes shipping.

Remember to insulate the switches so the electrical current does not back feed to the motor

Note: One blade picks up the electrical current and then transfers to the PCB Track board through the other blade as this is how the game knows if that target has been hit or not

Other Note: The PCB Track Board is adjustable so if your switch contacts are falling off the track just align the track where it does not and make sure the two EOS switch's on the ends of the track are still in alignment as well.

So after a couple of days came the 3rd and final fix, a real beauty actually which will last another 40 years if no one screws with it.

I decided to rebuild the whole Phantom switch pick up unit from scratch. Parts: 2 new blades and contacts along with 2 new nuts and bolts and used Bakelight switch spacers. You will need to drill out one of the existing holes larger and drill a new hole as well to mount the blade assembly. Alignment is key with the angle of the switch blades to the PCB plate as you will need to use a drill bit that accommodates the type of switches you are using as you have to run the bolt up from the bottom side through the metal target plate and attach the nut to the top side. I added a drop of solder to secure the nuts on top as well.

As far as pressure to the PCB plate and bending of the switches to make contact it is all trial and error, just don't screw it up or they will get mangled during operation and you will have to start all over again.

Warning: This part of the restoration is a very tedious procedure and may cause you to drink and swear heavily during and afterwards, however the end result is very rewarding if done correctly.

Here are some pictures before the final repair:

Ken

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These next pictures are of the Switch Blade setup prior to any modification such as cutting each blade to the proper length (remember one will be shorter than the other) as one runs blade runs on the inside of the track and the other one on the outside.

Note: Looking at the PCB track it reminds me of a horse race track being oval shaped but just remember to have your outside EOS switches that are located on each end of the track (not shown) to be properly gaped and spaced or they too will get mangled when the Phantom target goes by

Other note: Phantom Target is supposed to go back and forth with the EOS switches sending and cutting power reversing direction of the target. If the target is just running the length of the track you have a problem and need to fix these switches

Ken

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These next pictures show you the process of attaching the Switch Blade setup to the metal bracket that is attached to the Phantom target.

I drilled out the holes using a 5/32" drill bit as I was using medium tension replacement switch blades and low voltage contacts available from Pinball resource. Once gain I used Bakelite spacers that I had from other projects so just get an assortment to see what you need that works with your bolts.

Note in the last picture that you see you just have to make the original hole larger that is located on the edge of the bracket which is easy, just make sure you do not drill too much towards the edge and over drill the bracket. The second hole is next to the old hole on the inside of the bracket and it should look like a adjustment slider hole when you are done as it is too close to the original hole not to have this happen, which is fine.

Ken

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In these next pictures I am showing you the initial lineup of the switch setup.

Ken

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The next crucial part is the making, cutting, and bending of the switch blades which will both run along the PCB track. Remember that there is some trail and error with this part.

Note: Whenever I make new switches I always add a drop of solder to the back of them to ensure that the contact on the front side always gets a great electrical connection by not having the switch contact possible spin around inside the switch blade years down the line.

Ken

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OK, the final-final for the Phantom Target repair/rebuild.

Here is the final pictures with the switch setup together and aligned to the PCB track. I can't stress enough to manually run the Phantom target back and forth with your hand as if the motor was doing it to make sure your blades/contacts do not fall off the track or get bound up and check your EOS switches at the ends of the track for clearance. This may take you a while to get this just right but it is KEY to having this mechanism function properly

I also included a picture of the old setup with the one blade that got torn off (missing in picture). My new blades are WAY stronger and more resilient then the originals, but that figures as my goal is ALWAYS to create a as good as original product or better, this one is better IMO.

Note: Please make sure to use Teflon Super lube on all metal to metal parts and the PCB track boards/Steppers, which the last person did not on mine but made sure to over oil/grease the chains and score motor. One PCB board on my machine never seemed to get any lube and wore through the PCB board, but was repaired at some point by another person.

Very important note: Make sure you have the back of the leaf switches facing each other as you will need to solder the ends which will first give you your electrical connection between the switches but will also keep the switches from moving out of allignment with the PCB track.....win-win. (See 3rd picture down)

Hope this helps those of you wanting/willing to tackle this little PITA project.

Ken

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OK, how about we tackle something easy for now to give your brain a rest, and mine.

These gun games are heavy with mine being close to 300 lbs

Phantom originally came with 2" leg levels but mine were missing along with two of the four inserts the the levelers go into.

Well, being 52 years old and having issues moving around 200 lbs pinball machines I opted for 2" swivel wheels with two of them having lever stops on them. I figured a lot of operators ended up putting these on as well so why not as i figure this as an original trade modification. The beauty of this is that gun games do not use a ball and do not have to be perfectly leveled like a pinball machine.

Note: I put 3" Wheels on a another Phantom Gun I was working on for a friend and they work great!. Rolls better and turns easier than the 2" ones.

Let me tell you....This is the only way to go with these things!

I have wood floors and moving this thing around for repairs is great, you still have to put a little muscle into it initially to get it rolling but then it just glides.

So once again, a better than original modification that is easy as you just install 4 screws per wheel over the original holes for the leg levelers and then you are done

Note: You will have to tip this monster on its back to get the wheels on but don't worry about hurting anything but your back as these machines are OK with being set on their back or transported that way, just don't jostle the machine too much and don't drop it

Ken

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Now for the next little project that is easy as well.

These gun games have seen a lot of abuse throughout the Years in the trade (and at home) and generally it seems like the bottom back door ends up getting torn up whether it is from vandals trying to get a free game back in the day or just general abuse.

The bottom frame that holds the wood door originally have wood slats or grooves that hold the door panel in place as it just lifts out once the door is unlocked. So what happens is that from stepping of the ends and bending the panel too far back over the years it ends up breaking the wood area that supports and hold the door in place.

To solve this problem I just took a drive down to the local Home Depot/Lowe's and picked up two 9" long x 1-1/2 height (each side) steel 45 degree angle brackets that have 3 screw holes on each side of the bar. You can find these in the building department next to lumber where all the framing brackets are.

One of the brackets you keep at full length and the other you will have to cut off with a grinder about a 1/4" to make it 8-3/4" to fit as the brackets go in between the two wood support rails under the machine that the wheels are attached to.

This time you will have to gently tip the machine over on one of its sides to install these brackets from the bottom side using six (6) screws ( I used what I had), just make sure they do not go through the other side. You will use three (3) screws per plate and just make sure the are super tight as you will not want to flip this baby around a second time.

Note: Take out the bottom Phantom/Spook diorama box before tipping the machine on its side as you will have more control lowering it and be working with 100 lbs less which your back will appreciate.

After I did this it was another win-win deal.

First I got the bottom door tighter to the lock end so it closed up a big gap I had before and also the panel now sits in place as it should, once again a better than original modification IMO and secure enough to put back out in the trade if one wished to do so, but not me.

Note: Once the back of the Cabinet is painted no one will ever even notice the repair as it will just blend in. Also the two ends that have about a 3" space on each side of the new brackets to get your hands in there to pull out the Phantom/Spook diorama box. Pulling out the box will not be a problem either as it will clear the new brackets as well so you do not scrape the bottom of the box when pulling it out to service.

Ken

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So here is a very easy project.

The mirror on these games generally have had their fair share of abuse with tools being dropped o the backside due to past repairs and other minor calamities that do not break the mirror, just scratch the hell out of it so the light from the back shines through on the mirror side and not looking as good or functioning like when it was new.

The cheap solution rather than a replacement mirror is to break out a "Black Paint Pen" and just go over all the spots that the light shines through to the front. It may not look great from the backside but the mirror from the front will look and function much better.

Note: If silver paint was used on the backside it would not look right from the front as you want the Diorama as dark as possible for the full black light effect. Eventually I'm sure I will break down and buy a new mirror, but for now this works fine.

Ken

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Another easy fix... no really! No it's not a fuse...at least yet.

The cardboard dioramas on these gun games are over 45 years old like mine and look it. Hey people its cardboard, its old, and it needs help! This is a very cheap repair as well as very easy.The cardboard on these tend to bend quite a bit from mainly age and humidity change.

The good news all you need is some small wood screws like the ones pictured in the third photo above the Spook target (below where is ghoul has the big door open). There is a nice piece of wood to tie into for the three screws below the bottom cardboard scene. After I put them in I once again broke out my black paint pen and painted the tops of the screw heads so they would blend in with the scene, which they do nicely IMO. The Spook Target now has no problems moving around vertically and no longer rubs the cardboard causing no more wear and tear.

The next thing that had to be addressed is the top piece of the same cardboard scene where it says "Phantom Scores 1000". That was bent just as bad as the bottom piece and getting in the way of the Phantom target but this time there is no wood for us to screw down the cardboard. The solution to this was at Home Depot and is a 30 cent metal bracket found in building supplies that is 19-1/2 long, about a 1/2" wide, fits perfectly, needs no cutting, and attaches to the backside. (see the 4th picture) You will also need 4 small nuts and bolts to attach it through the cardboard and once installed it will straighten out the cardboard remarkably.

Note: While you have your black paint pen out you might as well just paint all the screw heads with it to make them all look fresh. Also use a small drill bit for your holes through the cardboard scene to get the bolts through cleanly as you want to be careful and don't rub the florescent paint off

Ken

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Your welcome Shawn.

I think your problem with the running bear is covered in my first topic about my Phantom Target repair as an issue with registering a hit comes up if your two contacts on the moving target are mangled and not making contact with the PCB track board or just broken off and need to be replaced, which in your case would be a "Bear" of a project.

Note: Usually there is no sighting in of a Williams running target (such as my Phantom Target) per the Owners Manual, so it should just work if your contacts are functioning and aligned correctly on said target as long as your other targets have been correctly sighted in.

Seeing I was mentioning the topic about sighting in a gun game, here is a problem that can come up that will throw your sighting in of targets way off.

I had an issue such as this with my game and it turned out the the PCB contact plate under the gun was aligned correctly, but one of the two stylist shoe shoes had a broken spacer that was allowing it to move to far forward. The two stylist tips need to be as straight as possible with contacting the PCB plate or they will not complete the electrical circuit for registering a hit.

My belief is that these get damaged by outright abuse, accident (bumping/pushing/pulling it) , and neglect (dirty PCB board) rather than normal wear and tear as they just freely move around the PCB plate simply making contact with it through spring action, thus theoretically lasting forever.

I do not have any before pictures but you can still see from the photo that my stylist on the inside is still a little bent compared the the one towards the outside of the PCB plate, but now functions fine. Luckily these need to be closely aligned, but not perfectly as there is leeway on the PCB plate for adjustments.

The fix for this problem was simply glue. The disc that holds the stylist in place was cracked so I simply straightened out the stylist by hand then added Super Glue to the little disc. At that point I wanted to make sure I had some filler so I went with something that had more body and added Red Locktite and it is still holding strong after a month of use. Doing this repair with the alignment arm on is difficult but can be done as long as yours stylist is not completely trashed (mine was not) in which case taking it off would be the only way to go.

Preferably you would just want to replace these when they break like mine did but I am not sure if Pinball Resource carries the long versions of these which you need as the pinball ones for Steppers are much shorter. If it breaks again I will check into it, but I'm pretty sure this repair will hold.

Important Note: Both glues set fast so you need to monitor that the stylist does not move during the drying process Also make sure that you do not get glue on the inside of the Shoe Shoe Tube as your spring mechanism will no longer move so you need to keep checking to make sure it moves freely during this process or you will be looking for another replacement, so don't screw it up

Ken

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Another repair that was more of a replacement. During the coarse of its life most likely on route some operator was tightening down a screw that holds down the speaker when his screw driver slipped and went through the paper cone of the speaker.

Lets face it, a rip in a speaker cone will not get better with age and even though I could not hear any distortion I thought it would be wise of me to get a replacement before they become too hard to find and while they are fairly cheap as well.

The solution was eBay. For $17.70 which included shipping I bought a very good used 6" paper cone speaker (looks like NOS) that was a perfect fit for the old one and of better quality as well, but with only bleeps and beeps going through it from the sound card I don't know if anyone will even notice except for a dog.

New Speaker Markings: Zenith; 49-1310; 8 Ohm; Max 10W; 8034; Made In Taiwan ROC. DCR is 8.1 on the Fluke meter. Diameter is 6-1/8 inches side-to-side, 6-11/16 inches diagonal which also has an inner horn cone and a larger magnet than the original.

No brain surgery here for removal and installation, simply remove the two screws located in the coin door cabinet on each side of the bottom panel and remove the front wooden grill that hides the speaker. Then just cut off the old wires to the original speaker and solder them back on the same way to the new speaker.

Note: There was no information about the original speaker on the Manual, Schematic, or Speaker itself, just some production numbers which are now useless, which was a bit frustrating trying to initially figure out how many OHMS it was it particular. My solution was to contact Clay and ask him if my new 8 OHM speaker would work as a replacement and he said no problem, and yes he was right. Thank You Clay.

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Next up: Installing a new grounding system in your gun game.

So what I have is a 1969 Williams which original had a 2 prong power cord with no electrical grounding system at all. Generally I would not even cover this topic as it has been done before with pinball machines but a gun game is a little different, so I figured why not.

On the old pinball machines of the 60's and before the majority did not have a grounded electrical system as well and kids and folks would sometimes be in for a SHOCKING experience through the Flipper buttons and/or the coin door as 115 volts was generally the order of the day pulsing through the wires to these items and then some.

Now my game runs 50 volts which could give you a nip as later Williams dropped it to 24 volts for safety but the main concern for a gun game is not so much the coin door running 50 volts as it is the gun itself as it has a 115 volt recoil coil to give the gun kick, and may give you a kick as well if it is not properly grounded.

What I did on my gun game is to get some green 16 gauge stranded wire and run it from the new 3 prong Pinball Resource 14' Power Cord to the Score Motor, Transformer, Outlet, Coin Door, and finally the Gun itself. For the ends of the wires I used either a crimp loop or open fork end connector depending on what I had at the time, but I always take off the insulation on the ends and add a drop of solder after they are crimped to ensure good electrical connectivity.

Note: The original power cord wires ran to outlet plug on the back door but I decided to bypass it this time with the new power cord as the outlet itself is useless because of 2 prong tools plugs these days having a wide neutral blade that will not fit inside the outlet, but I did leave it in place for originality. (see picture 2 and notice the two blue electrical caps connecting the new power cord to the game)

Special Note: See picture 7 as I am using a coat hanger with an end loop that holds the wire at the end of it so I can fish the ground wire (and others) under the side cardboard scenery which makes it easy to get your wires where you want them without hurting anything. I also used some small black zip ties and white wire/cable hangers to keep the wires organized and running with the existing wires. I also used electrical tape and wrapped the new wires as the descended from the top back door into the bottom cabinet opening. The original wires in the harness were electrical taped as well anyway so I just added the new tape on top of the old.

Extra Note: The Z-28 Relay (blue coil wrapper) in the 6th picture does not belong in this game and was removed. I will explain this later.

Ken

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Next up, taking apart the new and old Coin Doors.

Bought a nice used Coin Door one off eBay for less than $70.00 including shipping as my original one had too many dings and scratches in it for me to keep. My new one received some upgrades including coin inserts, new lock, mechs, wiring, and getting it back to working condition which it was not when purchased.

The first 2 pictures shows you the old Coin Door the way I bought it compete with hacked wiring.

Pictures 3 & 4 show you the new Coin Door which came off a 1978 Widebody Williams SS machine. Doing the parts swapping was fairly straight forward, just take a few photos for reference if you feel unsure about doing the procedure.

Note: Williams SS Coin Doors from the 70's (including Widebodies) are basically the same with a few different parts like the test switches, wiring harness, etc. which you can just remove and put on the correct EM parts from your old door. I love the fact that you can use some pinball parts on these gun games and there are a lot of parts for Williams EM games out there, at least for now.

The 5th photo shows the new Coin Door being taken apart. The main thing I wanted was the face and bezel of the door, the rest of the big stuff I left on the old one.

The 6th photo shows the old Coin Door being taken apart on the machine.

Ken

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Here are photos of the new (used) coin Door. Originally the coin door was set up with 3 chutes so that is what I wanted to keep. It was also set up originally to take nickles (no relay), dimes, and quarters, but I felt for 1969 they would be giving you 1 game for a dime and 3 pays for a quarter, so a little rewiring was necessary on 2nd and the 3rd coin chute and it now works great.

There was some hacks in the original wiring so some repairs were needed as well. You can see a broken coil wire on the lock coin in the first picture.

The last 2 pictures are of the finished Coin Door. Looks much better than the original IMO and functions 100%, ready to take your dimes and quarters.

Note: Getting the Coin Door functional is the only way you get to hear the Knocker as you coin up games on the machine as you cannot win free games like pinball, just extra shots.

Other Note: The added new wires on the Coin Door Chutes can be easily removed and all of the original wiring is still there so this is a reversible mod. (original wiring in picture 2)

Ken

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Here is a fun and easy mod, installing a 4" Bell that rings every time you hit 1000 points.

There was three main reasons I wanted to install a bell as the original sounds are still generated through a sound card, so this is an add-on.

The first was that when you are shooting at your targets it is a distraction to have to look up to see your score and how close you are to hitting the 3000 point level which rewards an extra ten shots (25 regular). Now all you have to do is listen to the bell and if it goes off three times then that means you met your 3000 point goal.

The second reason is that you can definitely tell when you hit the Phantom Target when he is worth the 1000 points on the 15th shot.

The third reason is that having a big bell go off just sounds so good and natural with a gun game.

*Installation is really simple as all you have to do is run two new wires that tie into your 1000 Point Relay Coil lugs located left of the Score Wheels in the back topside and run those wires to the coil lugs on your Bell located in the bottom front panel. No wiring into switches at all.

*The Bell itself was mounted on the left hand side next to the Speaker in the front bottom cabinet. You can buy any used Bell from an older Williams pinball game off eBay like I did, but note that the biggest Bell you can fit is a 4 inch one if you mount it left or right of the speaker.

Note: Check out the pictures to see how I ran the new Red and Yellow wiring as it is simple as well, however you will need to do the Coat Hanger trick as I previously showed you as the wiring runs the same way the the new ground wiring did.

My new Bell now rings load and proud and adds even more excitement to the game IMO

Ken

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Now for something you will really like, adding spooky background music, something this machine never originally had compared to a 1972 Midway Haunted House Gun game.

This mod is a little bit more involved then the "Add A Bell" Mod I showed you earlier and will take a bit more time, but as long as you feel comfortable doing some basic electrical you should be fine.

I will mention that a how to by Clay has been done already on his 1970 Williams Bonanza Gun game and was the one who inspired me to do my mod, but my mod is different as it does not require the use of a Bridge Rectifier and also makes installation of the Recorder a true plug and play without having to cut the power cord. Personally I like my way better because I understand the "How To" easier and it just seems simpler to me, but either way will work fine. Here is a link to Clay's method for comparison: //www.pinrepair.com/arcade/bonanza.htm

Now here is what you need to make it happen for my mod:

*Cassette Tape Player (preferably new) I bought this one because it was rated good and was the cheapest new at $70.00. Here is the one I bought off of Amazon, an RCA-RP3504 Shoebox Recorder:

http://www.amazon.com/RCA-RP3504-Cassette-Shoebox-Recorder/dp/B004SNL9ZK/ref=sr_1_5

Not many choices out there these days for new ones so your search will be brief. There is a Sony Player out there that gets very good reviews but is twice the price of the one I bought. All I can say is they sure don't build them like they use to, as the feel light and look cheap.

Important Note: Make Sure whatever model you buy it does not have the feature that has an auto turn off should you lose power or that model will NOT WORK with this mod! The play button must stay engaged at all times for this mod to work!

*Endless Cassette Tape (New, mine is 6 minutes long and I picked it up on eBay for $10.00, but you can use whatever you like length wise, but it must be a looping tape). I must stress that these kind of tapes are Super Finicky on how they like to be handled so read the directions first before you use the tape or you may destroy it right off the bat and have to buy a second one like I did!

*16 or 18 Gauge Wire

*A used small Williams Pinball/Arcade relay with at least one (1) high voltage Switch Leaf (large contact) that will house a Williams M32-2400 Coil and carry 115V through the Switch

* A New Single Fuse Holder and a 10 amp Fast Blow 32/or240 Volt Fuse

* Four (4) 45 degree Angle Brackets, Screws, Weather Strip Tape (1 inch wide or wider), Two (2) 1/2 inch diameter pipe hold down clamps, all available at Lowe's or Home depot

* One (1) new/used large pinball rubber (stretch to size)

* A new electrical Metal Switch Box and Cover Plate along with a Combo Single gang on/off Plug/Switch. With this Switch you will be able to turn the music off without having to unplug or access the bottom cabinet to turn it of for servicing. Simply open up the Coin Door and reach in to flip the Switch. Note: You will plug your recorder cord directly into this outlet.

Ken

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So basically you will start fro the Top Back Panel and work you way to the Front Bottom Panel. Locate the "Lock Relay" which is located right of the "Start Relay" on the top board.

You will be Soldering your Two (2) new wires (mine are Orange and Black) to the Lugs of the "Lock Relay". Which goes to which Lug really does not matter as you will be running these wires directly to the new "Recorder Relay" Lugs. This is the used extra relay that I talked about earlier that you will install shortly.

Ken

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Next Install your new/used "Recorder Relay" in the top front of the cabinet in front of the Coin Box against the top right of the back wall. You can use a couple of miscellaneous screws to attach the relay.

Next you will run your new wires you soldered on the Coil Lugs of the "Lock Relay" and run them directly to your Coil Lugs on the "Recorder Relay"

Note: Use the sames examples and tips I showed you earlier for running your Recorder wires as the Ground wiring.

Other Note: The Coil from the "Lock Relay" will be the same number (M32-2400) that you will be using for the "Recorder Relay" Coil so that the current matches and there is no weird feedback which occurred when I tried it with different coil strengths early on.

Another Note: The "Lock Relay" on the Williams Phantom Gun only engages when a game is started, not when the on/off power toggle switch is turned on which is what allows you to make this mod possible. However all EM Williams pinball games of this era and until the end of EM's have a "Lock Relay" which turns on as soon as you turn the on/off power toggle switch to on.

Ken

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Thanks Jeff.

Currently the machine is "Out Of Order" because I have a stretched chain on the Spook Target that has run out of adjustment tension. I will have to shorten the chain by 2 links in which I will post a how to after I am done talking about the Spooky background Sounds Recorder. Still lots to talk about there. It's always something with these games.

Ken

Next is wiring up the "Recorder Relay" New Switch Wires.

So some of these pictures I am using again here so you can get the full picture of what you are trying to accomplish. So for the Switch wires I used 14 Gauge single strand wire (I used black, white, green, and red) but you can use whatever color is available to you, but I would suggest these colors so others down the road can figure out your wiring easily.

Here's how it goes:

*Black Wire (Common 115V) will be soldered to one leaf of the Switch of the "Recorder relay" and go to the Blacklight Voltage Regulator Common (Hot) wire. You will need a cheap high voltage electrical tester to determine which wire it is. Once found just tie into the existing wires and twist a new wire cap a size larger than the original to secure.

Note: About the halfway point from the Voltage Regulator to the "Recorder Relay" there is a single Fuse Holder that you will tie your black wire into. Remember this is carrying 115V so you may want to make a tag to warn yourself, and others. The location were I installed mine is where I should have a Total Play Meter so if you have you meter there simply install it to the left or right of it.

*Red Wire (Hot Traveler -also 115V) will be soldered to the other leaf on the "Recorder Relay" Switch and will travel to the New on/off switch plug that you will install as seen in the picture that is located right below the "Recorder Relay". Pop a hole in the top of the new metal electrical box and take out the slug. Your Red wire will be screwed on the Right side of the on/off Switch on the top.

*White Wire (Neutral) One side of this wire will be be connected to the Left side of the new on/off Switch Outlet and the other side will be connected to the Blacklight Voltage Regulator Neutral Wire. This is an easy find as there are only the two wires coming out of the Regulator and you already found the Hot wire so just connect this wire to the other one and wire cap.

*Green Wire (Ground) Just tie into your new Ground Wire you already ran and hook the end up to the bottom of the new on/off Switch Outlet. Very wise to do as you are running high voltage out of there.

Once your wiring is squared away get yourself a cheap plug in electrical Outlet tester to verify that you wired everything up properly, plug into your new on/off Switch Outlet to test.

Note: You will have to turn on the machine and start a game to test properly to make sure your "Recorder Relay" is engaging and your on/off Switch Outlet works as this is where you will be plugging in you Recorder Plug.

Other Note: A picture of the Blacklight Voltage Regulator is shown in the 4th picture down which is located left of the Blacklight Florescent Starter.

Congratulations! You have made it through the hardest part!

Ken

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Thanks Joe.

A 1971 Midway Wild Kingdom is a cool game and doing a Bell on it would be no different then on a Williams game like mine so you could use my mod on it no problem. The only thing that might change is if you have to relocate the Bell itself as I am not sure how much space Midway has if any in their front lower cabinet.

Have at it! It will be fun, easy, and reversible if you don't like it.

Ken

Thanks Scott!

This next section I will talk about, the grand finale, will answer that very question and more.

Now that all the wiring is in place it is time to mount the Recorder in the lower front cabinet under the game speaker and make sure it is centered. This is where your 4 brackets, weatherstrip, 2 pipe hold downs, and an used/new pinball rubber come into play.

Mount 2 of your brackets on either side first using the Recorder as your guide as to where they will be installed. Once in cut the weatherstrip that is sticky on one side only and cut to size in 4 pieces to stick onto both sides of the mounting brackets. Now install the other 2 brackets and weatherstrips using the same process as before. Fit the Recorder inside the brackets and test to make sure it sits snug and does not move around.

Note: I use the weatherstrips not only to keep the Recorder snug and in place, but to make it Shock resistant as well and insulated so that there is no vibration from the plastic Recorder case interfering with the Recorder speaker.

Once that is done get your 2 pipe hold down brackets and mount them on the left and right side of the Recorder as shown in the pictures and make sure not to block any function controls, plugs, or buttons. Once installed you will use your pinball rubber band to secure the Recorder in its new mount and it will also prevent the cassette door from accidentally opening.

Now get the Recorder AC cord with Adapter and run the power plug from the top of the Coin Box area through the circular hole in the bottom cabinet and route the wire to your Recorder. Plug into the Recorder itself then insert your plug adapter into your new AC on/off switch outlet which finishes all your electrical connections.

Note: With all my wiring I have done so far I have used black zip ties and new cable/wire holders to help route wires and keep them neat and organized. Both ban be found at Radio Shack or any hardware stores.

Last step and the fun one, making your own custom spooky sounds on your new endless cassette tape. Basically I used the background sound bytes from the original 1972 Midway Haunted House soundtrack and embellished it by recording more spooky sounds from a Halloween CD that I had over the sound bytes by running both at the same time, all it takes is a PC with a DVD drive to do this.

Midway Haunted House Sound Bytes can be found here for free thanks to Clay and Mark: http://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/haunted.htm

You can record whatever spooky music/sounds you want, after all, it's your haunted gun game.

Now your ready to go! Congratulations! You now have background spooky sounds and music!

Ken

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Once again here is yet another repair as it seems these gun games have had a hard life, mine is no exception.

I originally had a 2 page "How-to" until it accidentally got deleted right as I was going to post it so here is the very short version as I am not in the mood to rewrite it again. If you have a question in regards to this particular repair I will post an answer.

Problem: "Spook" Target was jumping around too much because the chain had become stretched over the 40 years in service to the point that there was no more tension adjustment left.

Solution: Modify the tension adjustment on the motor.

Tools needed: Drill with a 3/16" steel cutting bit and some WD -40 to oil the bit from wearing out. A hammer and screwdriver to knock off excess metal shavings from the newly drilled holes and to take the nuts and bolts on/off and a Shopvac to clean up all the shavings once you are done.

Work: No desoldering of wires needed. Just make your holes a 1/2" to an Inch from the original holes so you can get your tension adjustment back. I did mine at a 1/2" apart from the original holes.

Notes: This is Not a bicycle chain and is either a motorcycle or machine chain, however the links can be removed/re-installed with a "Park CT 3.2" Chain Breaker , but for this repair it is not needed, just informational. Tool can be found here:

ebay.com link: Park Tools CT 3 2 Bicycle Chain Breaker Geared Road MTB Single Speed Fixed

The game is once gain functioning as it should with the "Spook" Target having minimal bounce when moving vertically and is now easier to hit.

Ken

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It was such a nice day today that it was time for my partial repaint of my Phantom Gun. Should take one more day to finish it except some minor paint touch ups the wife will do for me in the near future.

It already had a custom paint job most likely from an operator back in the day as the colors/characters are off from the original, but actually nicer colors were used so I just decided to embellish it a bit more and do the Blackout around the Head just like a Midway Haunted House which I really think makes the game really pop. I also decided to repaint the entire backside and do some a repaint of the entire black rail bottom and touch up some of the figures.

The first 5 pictures are the before, the last 5 are in progress pictures. I will post the final pictures in a day or two.

Ken

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Thanks!

My wife really likes the black treatment around the Head too and it is her favorite game so all is well on my end.

A few Updated Pics of the final paint. The brush touch ups will be hit in the near future. Finishing up some wood repair to the Cabinet but I will have it all back together tomorrow and take a few more pics.

Ken

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All in all I am happy with how the machine looks with the new paint. Looks used and not abused which was what I was shooting for.

Machine is back in the house and ready to play!

Now I just need a new Backglass and I am pretty well set except for a few paint touchups.

Ken

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Just in case you need gun parts for Your Phantom Gun Game here is some info on the gun itself:

The gun is a Remington 22 gauge Short Long or Long Rifle Model 514 Bolt Action Rimfire. There were 757,624 made between 1948-1970, so plenty of parts floating around. Remington no longer carries any parts for this rifle but eBay has quite a few parts especially 514 Gun Stocks if your looking for a replacement just in case yours in broken or cracked. Of course you will have to do some minor modifications so just use your original Stock as a template if you have it. If you cannot find the parts you need off eBay I would check Gun Stores as they may have some NOS parts hanging around the backroom.

Here is a history link to Remington regarding the model 514: http://www.remington.com/products/archived/rimfire/bolt-action/model-514.aspx

Ken

My Barrel is from a Remington 514 22 gauge as well. I think Williams manufactured the Gun Post themselves and used a generic Trigger for the games as mine is not an original 514.

Could be Williams bought what ever 22 parts was the deal of the day from the manufactures. I'm thinking for a 1969 Phantom Gun They got a good lot deal from Remington of their 514's because that model was to be discontinued in 1970 and Remington wanted to move out as much remaining stock of that model to make way for the newer model.

Could be that an Williams did a mix and match on your 1962 Vanguard originally from the factory or an Operator did the change out to repair the game at some point and used what he had on hand.

Just theories but I guess we will never know for sure.

Ken

Decided to change out my Mirrored glass for $20.00 from my local glass shop as my original 3/16" thick glass was marred from dropped tools, etc. I decided to go with a 1/8" replacement as glass shops no longer carry a 3/16" thick glass, just 1/8" or 1/4".

I wanted the 1/8" glass as I also wanted to put a protective plastic 1/16" backing on it to protect it from future tool drops, liquids, etc. No modifications were necessary.

The white plastic backing from Home Depot is great stuff comes in 4'x8'x1/16" and will last a lifetime and is easy to cut with a box-cutter on your garage floor and just install on top of the back of the mirror, no glue or anything needed and it will lie flat on it's own with just the two original wood blocks for holding the mirror in place.

Link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/PLASTEX-1-16-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Plastic-Panel-63003/202090190

Pic 1: Backing being cut
Pic 2: New mirror about to be installed
Pic 3: New Mirror and Backing installed on machine

Ken

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EM Trace Repair/Replacement

Just finished this, tested, and it works great!

Before and after pics.

1st three pic shows all the traces or what is left after they were shorted and burned off.

The next three pics shows the new 1/8" self adhesive replacement Copper Foil trace tape soldered in and glued. No solder station needed, just a light duty solder iron. It can be bought on ebay in different sizes. Should hold up just fine as long as you use your Teflon Grease on the PCB, just like you would for a Stepper Unit.

ebay.com link: itm

Can't get new PCB's for these and good used ones are rare, so repair is usually the only way to go on these old gun games. It's not pretty but it should function just fine.

Ken

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Thanks Joe!

For an actual gun for your game keep checking eBay and you can also contact John Robinson of John's Juke's in Canada.

http://www.flippers.com/

Ken

I sold the full resto game a few years back, so yea no updates. I actually had two of them at the same time, just repaired the second one, and sold them to two different Pinsider buddies who still have them. I have not bought another gun game since as I simply do not have the room as I now share dedicated space with my model railroad layout. I have toyed with the idea of getting another Midway sea raider as I have a spot for something that size, but a project pinball machine now occupies that space. ah, "Space, The Final frontier". Have fun with your game, it's a good one!