Here is the latest addition to my collection, a 1963 Bally 3-In-Line. This project machine came up for sale locally a few months ago for $ 175 but another buyer called just before me and grabbed it. The buyer soon realized it was too much work, so he relisted it. This time, I was first to respond but due to a family emergency, I had to pass. After agonizing for 5 days that I had lost it a second time, I inquired and found the game was still available and was able to purchase it for a little more than the original sale amount.
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This example of 3-In-Line survived well for 55 years despite an ugly, dark wood grain contact paper redecoration at some point in its life. The contact paper peeled off with very little paint loss and left no sticky residue. Fortunately, the cabinet paint on Bally games up through mid 1966 is very stable and durable. Bally used a black webbing on top of the base cabinet color and then added the colored accents with stencils. Later in 1966, Bally eliminated the webbing and switched to a texture-like paint for the cabinet to hide imperfections in the wood. This paint tends to swell and flake and fall off if you look at it cross-eyed. Mean Grean and Krud Kutter did a good job removing the grime and 0000 steel wool shined up the side rails.
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The playfield glass is actually a sheet of plexi-glass and the legs were painted. New chrome legs have been installed and I will purchase a proper tempered glass. The back door is missing and all the steppers, reels and relays will need a thorough cleaning. The backglass is in very good condition with some typical flaking and fading in the reds and bubbling at the corners of the score reel windows. The backglass is accessed from inside the backbox and Bally would later change to the front lift-out style. The bell, ball trough, shooter rod and ball lift have all been cleaned and polished. The coin door and trim will be repainted in a nickel or silver hammered finish.