Spare used assemblies are always good to have around. It's much more gratifying to find what you need in your stash than having to order something up and wait for it. It can be cheaper too.

I don't know that there is anything prone to major failure, although parts with many copies in a game may be more likely to see a failure. The player unit can be fiddly but I think that's more often an adjustment issue than a failure issue.

If you want to stock up on spare parts consider getting (this would apply to any manufacturer):
- score reels (as you've already identified)
- a stepper or two (lever arms can wear, shoulder nuts can be twisted off, short bolts that hold the pieces together are often missing)
- a few relays (short switches, coils, nuts and bolts, springs)
- some longer switches (like from the score motor)
- the bolts that hold the head on (can be hard to find)
- the threaded brackets that hold the leg bolts in (often stripped)
- a jones plug (individual female sections can be replaced)
- a few light sockets of various configurations

I'd recommend leaving the spare assemblies intact so you know the context of the used parts. An individual spring in a bag somewhere is harder to identify than one on the back of a relay.

I'm sure there's more. How much you plan to get into repair may help determine how much you stock up. If this will be your only game and it's working well, you might not want any of this stuff.

/Mark

This is actually the type of game that should get parted. Missing/trashed important assemblies on a somewhat sketchy game. I've parted about 4 games. All were missing at least one major part and had significant structural and/or water damage. As some point some games need to die so others can live. I parted a Sunset that had a nice BG, but was already missing parts and water damaged. I sold the BG to a guy who needed one for his game.

Anyway, if I was you, especially since it seems like you are in Germany and have a hard time getting parts from the states, I would buy the whole thing and part what is left. Cut out the wiring harnesses and stick them in bags. Pull off all the relays, steppers, score motor, pops, flippers - all that and label and bag it in ziplocks. It will all fit in one 18x24" box. Clean up PF and stick it on your wall or ceiling, then put an ad for it on Ebay. Take it down if and when it sells - for about $80. Strip out the cabinet, including chime box (which oh, by the way is a $60 part at least) and either hammer time the cabinets or offer them up to a hoarder for free.

It wasn't all that pretty when it was new.

If I am not mistaken, the Score Reels are slightly different mechanically from the Jungle Era to the later Surf Champ error. Overall, everything is about the same, but they did change how they moved the zero/runout switches. The earlier ones use that bent metal wire part with the black sleeving. The later used a plastic rocker arm.

So, most of the major parts will be identical on the score reels but just in case you wanted to swap them over in their entirety, just be aware they are different (but functionally the same).

Most common part you will find broken will be the EOS switch on the score reels. It is very common to find one of the blades totally missing.

I think just about everything else in the head should be about the same.

If you are talking lower cabinet too, then there may be some differences there too. I can't remember if Surf Champ has the late model flipper assemblies (like on System 1 Gottlieb Solid State Games) as they were introduced near the end of making EM games. Jungle certainly has the old flipper design.

Surf Champ probably has a "Coin Unit" while Jungle used a large trip bank for players 2,3, and 4 enable.

As was mentioned, about the two most valuable pieces to the Jungle are:

The Bell Chime Assembly ($50-$125)
The Lock Down bar (peg style) ($100+)

Just checked IPDB, both games show the system 1 style flippers. The score reels look to be the same style - the ones where you can actually take it apart because the coil stop is mounted to it's own bracket.

I'm afraid you are wrong there. There is no way a 1972 Jungle (not Jungle princess) has the all in one style flipper assy (underside of the playfield). Surf Champ uses the style where everything is mounted on a metal bracket and has a flipper shaft and foot with a very thick shaft diameter. Jungle is the type where the coil is mounted on a bracket, but everything else is screwed to the wood playfield.

You won't see the difference in the score reel without sliding it out and viewing it from the side.

You're right. I mixed up Jungle and Jungle Princess. I stand corrected. Went too fast.

You might want to ask about the score motor assembly then. It is a very critical part and has a wealth of blade switches on it. Typically sell for between $25 and $45 USD. If your motor dies, it can be difficult to find a donor when you need it.

And ask if he will cut a couple of relays out for you so you have some spare switches.

And maybe he can throw in a few of the hair pin clips that secure the relays.