(Topic ID: 238831)

Bally 1971 Skyrocket Restoration

By Ballypin

5 years ago


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  • 24 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 4 years ago by DK
  • Topic is favorited by 17 Pinsiders

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10
#1 5 years ago

The latest addition to my collection is a long sought after game, Bally Skyrocket, released in May 1971. I had just turned 6 years old when it hit the streets and it would be another 47 years until I would play the game for the first time at the Roanoke Pinball Museum in Roanoke, VA. I'm not sure what started my desire to find this game but 3-1/2 years ago, I added it to my wish list. In that time, I missed one on eBay in Florida, a CL seller in Arkansas disappeared, an Indiana ad was read too late and a rough example in an auction early this year was passed on. Considering how many Pinsiders are looking for this game, I was convinced it was going to be a long wait.

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Skyrocket has an unusual history of being a Harry Williams designed game at the time when Ted Zale was transitioning into retirement and his protege Jim Patla was beginning to turn out his first titles. Pinball podcaster and collector Dennis Kriesel wrote a very interesting tale about Harry's Skyrocket and other designs produced by Bally in this Pinball News article found here: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/11/30/harry-williams-and-bally/

Last Tuesday, out of the blue, (see what i did there) @bluespin sends me a PM that a Skyrocket has come up for sale in Akron, OH (4 hours away) on Pinside. WTF! Without even looking at the pictures in the posting, I immediately sent the pinsider a PM that I wanted to buy the game. The seller did not list a price but was looking for info on its worth as he found it was a hard to come by. Duh! I provided some price points and made a cash offer to pickup that weekend and provided my name and phone number. I agonized all Tuesday night and Wednesday waiting for a response that never came. Finally, Thursday morning the seller replied to my PM that he had received considerable interest and that my offer was in the middle of others. Damn it! However, one buyer would need to ship the game and the seller was not too keen on dealing with that. OK. Here is my chance to hack through the crowd. I figured what the hell, I don't want to get into a bidding war (and possibly against myself) but this one is too close to let slip away, so I shot the seller my best cash offer with pickup ASAP. Still crickets the rest of the day Thursday. Mid-morning Friday, the seller texted to accept my offer and we made arrangements for the pickup on Saturday. Here is the game in the sellers garage.684e43efae4c59e7bea42d183b0ca4f247b73c6e (resized).jpg684e43efae4c59e7bea42d183b0ca4f247b73c6e (resized).jpg
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This Skyrocket was purchased sometime in the early 1980's by the sellers' father and has been in the family for about 35 years. The family also had a 1972 Williams Olympic Hockey but sold it sometime ago. The seller was *slightly* considering turning Skyrocket into a coffee table but because the art and colors of the game are so appealing, he sought out Pinside and decided the game should be preserved and sold to a person that would appreciate the game.

Skyrocket has a low production run of 545 units but I am curious how that can be since Bally's serial numbers start at 1001 and my game has matching number 2030. There is another game on IPDB with number 1640.

The main and COOLEST feature of Skyrocket is the cascade of colored inserts on the playfield that light in sequence to replicate an exploding firework shell. The 10 step motorized sequence of lights can score 1000, 3000, 5000 or an Extra Ball when the lit value is collected by shooting the ball into either the left or right saucer or through the left or right outlane. Here is a great game play video of Skyrocket.

My Skyrocket is going to take time and passion to bring it back to it's former glory. Follow along as I give this great Bally classic a loving restoration.

#3 5 years ago

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So, here is the starting point. The cabinet is solid and in very nice condition with only some minor flaking and a few dings and names carved into the sides. The colors of mint green, yellow and magenta are vibrant and there is very little, if any, fade. I removed the outer layer of funk with Mean Green and Magic Eraser and kept cleaning until the paper towels stayed white. I have matched the colors through paint chip cards and will be doing some minor touchups.

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The Backglass is good condition with the typical flaking of some reds and along the bottom. I will lightly clean the backside and then lock everything in with Triple Thick. After that has cured, I will clean the front of the glass and hand polish the metal trim.
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The original 28-1/2" legs were very rusty and after dipping 2 of them in Evaporust for 24 hours, I found the pitting to be too much for a game of this caliber. Enter PBR and my standard procedure of new chrome non-ribbed legs with 28-1/2" in the front and 31" in the rear so I don't have to jack up the rear levelers. The game is up on mis-matched legs now until my order arrives later today. In the past, I would buy new leg bolts since the old ones are usually rusty or oxidized. Now, I prefer to refinish old bolts by wire wheel then chuck up in a drill and sand with 120, then 220, then 400, then 600 grit sandpaper and finish off on the buffing wheel to a mirror finish. This game had no bolts and I am fresh out of old bolts so it will also get new bolts. I also ordered a set of yellow pincab protectors to cover up the damage. The coin door will be sanded, primed and painted a metallic oil rubbed bronze. The shooter rod, coin door trim and all bolts and rest of the cabinet bolts will get the same refinishing to a mirror shine.

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The playfield is very dirty but in very nice shape. Only minor wear at the two kickout saucers, around a few skyrocket inserts, in the wood tone in front of the slings and the typical shooter lane and top ball arch trails. Black dust in the swirls is present but there are also funky radial cracks around some of the skyrocket inserts. Cleaning should be straight forward with 91% Alcohol, Magic Eraser, Naptha and then Novus 2. IMG_1054 (resized).JPGIMG_1054 (resized).JPGIMG_1055 (resized).JPGIMG_1055 (resized).JPGIMG_1056 (resized).JPGIMG_1056 (resized).JPG

This playfield may be the first I have sent out to be cleared. Plastics are nice with no breaks...just dirty and need to be flattened.

Mechanically the game is complete with no hacks. The game has not been powered up because of this:IMG_1064 (resized).JPGIMG_1064 (resized).JPG

All new fuse holders have been replaced and a new 14' line cord attached. Correct fuse values will be installed and then we will be ready for the smoke test and see what the game does or does not do.

#15 5 years ago
Quoted from EMsInKC:

Cool game. I have never seen one of those.
I'll be interested to see how your coin door comes out. I have that same door, albeit with three coin slots, on my Bally Surfers. It's scratched up and in need of help. I'm going to completely repaint the game in the future so I'll be watching this to see how your work on it comes on.
So you don't want to use the original Bally dark gray painted legs? I kind of like the look of them over the chrome, I have three Bally games and I put those on all three of the games.

I know that chrome legs are not original to Bally's but I sure do like the look with all the other chrome.

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Here are the coin doors on Surfers and Cosmos that I painted with the Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze. It has a satin finish with tiny colored sparkles.

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#16 5 years ago
Quoted from Electrocute:

Sold mine. Felt that it should be with someone who collects Ballys. Kinda wished I hadn’t.

Haha. @electrocute, it was your Skyrocket that you sold on eBay years ago that I would have bought if you were closer.

#17 5 years ago
Quoted from illawarra92:

it's an awesome game. the youtube video in the first post was mine. sold it a few years ago and it went to new zealand

You have some great EM videos on youtube. I especially like you flippin' the bird on that center drain.

#18 5 years ago

John is the tireless miracle worker, matching lonely pins to lonelier pinheads.

I changed my avatar to reflect one of the the next Bally EM's I'd like to acquire. I'll settle for most any Bally. Except Toro.

2 weeks later
#23 4 years ago

Sorry for the lack of updates on the Skyrocket (and 3 In Line) restorations but I have been busy the last two weeks with improvements to the pin area in the basement. New shelving to organize parts and shop supplies, surround stereo, flat screen, wall coverings and furniture. Still have more to do including new carpet and re configuring a storage area with sound and dust control of the tumbler and bench grinder. It doesn't help that spring is finally here and all the exterior cleanup and projects that have popped up.
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If I didn't already have can lights in the ceiling, I could have sprung for these. Not sure if they are 110 volt or run on D batteries.
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Anywho, I had to correct for my lack of measuring the height of the front of the game when I ordered new 28-1/2" front legs. Turns out that I needed 27" legs in front to maintain a low 36" to 37" height and keep it in line with the rest of my games. I'm short and too old to be standing on a milk crate to play pinball.

I also completed the gross task of taking apart the playfield glass frame and cleaning 48 years worth of spilled beverages and dirt caught in the rubber gaskets and frame pieces. While I should take these pieces to my local commercial buffer, I will just do some hand buffing and re-graining and re-assemble with a new 21" x 41-1/2" tempered glass I ordered. Their pricing wasn't the only insult...they couldn't even spell my name right.
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#25 4 years ago

PLUS tax

Should have taken Ivan's offer of about $ 45 picked up at Allentown.

#31 4 years ago
Quoted from ZNET:

First, Have you installed the new glass in the frame to confirm that the glass fits? These are the dimensions on the Marco website so I suspect that they are accurate. It's my understanding that installing the glass from the head's end is the much easier approach than from the player's end.
Second, Was Ivan's $45 price for this nonstandard dimension glass or just for the standard glass size?
Third, What is Ivan's Pinside identity or other contact information (please PM me).
Thanks!

I just sent you a PM. Ivan is Ivan1496 here on pinside. Actually $ 42 for non-standard. He might still be able to get it made by Pinfest.

$ 35 for standard and then $29 if you buy 5.

Yes, I did confirm that the glass is 21" x 41-1/2" that fits in the Bally "Chop-Top" frame.

#34 4 years ago

Guess I better order 2 myself.

1 month later
#35 4 years ago

Making a little more progress...cleaned and sealed the backglass today. Also re-assembled the coin door trim, lockdown receiver and shooter rod after buffing and polishing to a mirror finish.

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#37 4 years ago

Yes, there are a lot of boobs out there that fall for these cheap lights.

#38 4 years ago

Back on topic...

Dis-assembled and cleaned all the score reels, steppers, relays, bells and finally reattached the head. Metal trim on the backglass cleaned and polished.

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Next tasks will be sanding out numerous scratches in the side rails and re-assembling with a new piece of custom sized glass that fits these chop-top frames.
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After that, the coin door will get it's makeover. Here is the before picture.
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#39 4 years ago

In a somewhat related topic, my super talented artist wife is nearing completion on a new 18" x 24" mosaic to celebrate my love of Bally pinball. IMG_1513 (resized).JPGIMG_1513 (resized).JPG

I asked her to create this stained glass mosaic of the Bally "Harlequin Man" that was the prominent apron artwork from late 1968 to early 1975. A huge stainless steel with back-lit neon version once hung at the Bally office in Chicago.

The mosaic technique she used is glass-on-glass (actually Lexan) with a glue that dries clear. She will then fill the gaps between the pieces with black grout and this will define the outlining around the Bally script letters and the elements of the logo. IMG_1512 (resized).JPGIMG_1512 (resized).JPG

The inspiration was the lime green and red color scheme from the Cosmos apron with some editing to simplify the design.IMG_2063 (resized).JPGIMG_2063 (resized).JPG

My intent with the glass-on-glass method was so it can be back-lit and illuminated. I still need to work out what will probably be a custom built shadow box and use either led strip lights or traditional pinball lamps with some flasher bulbs to create animation.IMG_1511 (resized).JPGIMG_1511 (resized).JPG

1 week later
#42 4 years ago

More weekend progress...refinished the playfield glass frame to a near mirror finish. Not perfect, but much improved from the scratched and dull condition. Started with 220 grit sandpaper on a palm sander and then went to 400,800,1000,1500,2000,3000 and finished with 0000 steel wool with Mothers Mag polish. Wrangled it back together with a new sheet of glass.

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Coin door is coming along as well. Sanded and painted the metal front and plywood back. Polished exposed front hardware and will begin reassembly.
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#44 4 years ago

That is a 1963 Bally 3 In Line. I have a restoration thread going on it’s restoration too.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/bally-1963-3-in-line-restoration#post-4865825

#45 4 years ago

Coin door before:
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Coin door after:
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Installed:
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Next up is the playfield.

#47 4 years ago

So, touch ups are nearly complete on the cabinet and now there is no avoiding the task of the playfield. 1B957AC7-7A1C-4151-AD07-F334C7F2C29A (resized).jpeg1B957AC7-7A1C-4151-AD07-F334C7F2C29A (resized).jpeg

Teardown took about 3 hours of work to from this... DCC9221B-EE72-4ED1-A0BC-67D1DC0BDC54 (resized).jpegDCC9221B-EE72-4ED1-A0BC-67D1DC0BDC54 (resized).jpeg

To this...7227F7B4-ACCB-45C5-AAE1-CB460149E720 (resized).jpeg7227F7B4-ACCB-45C5-AAE1-CB460149E720 (resized).jpeg

The only major issue found was a very crispy left flipper coil. It appears the pin on the armature broke off which prevented the EOS switch from opening and allowing the plunger nylon bushing to melt and seize the plunger. Another order to PBR for a new coil and complete rebuild kit will take care of this.
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#50 4 years ago

I really wish I kept an accurate log of the time spent on just the playfield. I'll try to recap the past 7 days here:

Friday night - 3 hours stripping the top and bottom
Saturday - Trip home to take my Dad out for Father's Day lunch and a family HS graduation party
Sunday - 6 hours scrubbing the plastic posts, guides and rollovers. Cleaned the metal parts before tumbling /polishing. Started cleaning playfield.
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Monday - 4 to 5 hours removing standoffs from plastics, plastic cleaning and backglass touchups
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Tuesday - 5 hours cleaning first parts out of tumbler, backglass touchups and metal polishing
Wednesday - 4 to 5 hours polishing screw heads, metal trim and ball through parts
Thursday - Sand wood siderails and top metal arch for painting. Sand metal ball guide arch.

#51 4 years ago

A picture is word a thousand words. This one might be triple that as there is a lot going on.
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The large tub in the upper left contains the first batch of tumbled screws and other smalls that were cleaned of walnut shell dust. The polished trough parts are in the tub beneath it. To the right is a cup of the topside screws that have been tumbled then buffed on the bench grinder and await the tedious final cleaning of black polishing compound from the screw heads. The tub to the right contains parts still waiting to be tumbled. The 3 wood siderails have been sanded and wiped down and ready for the light orange paint. The metal arch to the left is the ball guide and has been sanded to 2000 grit. The metal arch to the right has been sanded and ready for primer and then topcoat in bright yellow paint.

Yes, Bally did paint the metal apron and top arch the same bright yellow and the wood siderails a light orange color.

#52 4 years ago

I killed my second Harbor Freight 5 lb tumbler Wednesday so I bought another one tonight. I forgot how quiet a new one runs compared to how ragged out they get before they die. I'm sad because I upgraded the old one to a 1/4" threaded rod for the main shaft because the stock rod became worn out and the wing nut would not secure the lid.IMG_1697 (resized).JPGIMG_1697 (resized).JPG

#53 4 years ago

Last post for tonight...the kickout holes are very nasty and I don't think just cleaning the wood will cut it. I'm thinking that I will need to sand all the side and sloped edges and then mask off and spray Varithane to seal the sanded wood.
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#56 4 years ago

More polishing and a painting this weekend. The cheapskate in me refused to buy more Flitz once my big bottle ran out. I did find some small bottles local at an auto parts store and paid dearly but the stuff works wonders.

Top arch was primed, 220 sanded, 2 light coats of Rustoleum gloss Sun Yellow, 400 sand and then top coat. Side rails have 2 coats of Rustoleum gloss Golden Sunset, 220 sand, 3rd coat, 400 sand and ready to spray top coat.IMG_1714 (resized).jpgIMG_1714 (resized).jpg

#58 4 years ago

"Ben...I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? Plastics."

Now that the rain has finally stopped and summer has arrived, it allows for the safe way of flattening plastics between 2 sheets of old playfield glass. Tried the oven method on a cookie sheet tray before with so-so results.IMG_1790 (resized).jpgIMG_1790 (resized).jpg

For the yellowed, warped and chipped ball guide plastics, I hand traced the originals and will have it converted to a DWG file so I can GRADUATE to new, clear laser cut pieces. Sorry to punish you. IMG_1792 (resized).jpgIMG_1792 (resized).jpg

#59 4 years ago


For the young ens’ not picking up what I laid down

#62 4 years ago
Quoted from ZNET:

I always try the blowdryer technique first

Fortunately, we both still have hair for the need of a blowdryer.

1 week later
#65 4 years ago

Wow. That backglass had some serious UV fade and the BGresto glass is a 1000% improvement.

Luckily, my glass has no fade but did have some flaking that I was able to touch up reasonably well AFTER the glass was locked down with triple thick. My touch-ups are not perfect in luminosity but they do eliminate the harsh spotlights of bare light coming through.
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#66 4 years ago

I would be remiss to not post Skyrocket progress on the 4th of July.

The playfield switches and standup targets are dirty, bent and even showing slight surface rust.
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The solution is to desolder from the playfield, dis-assemble, give the metal blades a quick scrub with Krud Kutter on 0000 steel wool and then a 24 hour tumble in walnut shells with a squirt of Flitz.
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The results are amazing. I finished by giving the target faces a buff with Novus 2.
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#67 4 years ago

Last night, we met up with some good friends and took in a home Cincinnati Reds game. The Reds were victorious over Milwaukee and recorded more than 11 strikeouts which earned every ticket holder a free small pizza from the local mega pizza chain Larosa's. The fireworks display after the game was a bonus early celebration to the greatest country.

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Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

#72 4 years ago
Quoted from Electrocute:

There is a Sky Rocket on EBay right now for $499. Shitty pics and it looks like moisture damage on the electronics. Backglass looks great.

Geez. You had my heart racing since I had not noticed this listing and ZNET posts that it has sold. My heart settled down after I saw it was in California and then saw the horror pics of all that rust. The BG does look decent and the PF is so-so but its gonna take a gallon of Evaporust to do anything with the rest.

Interesting to note that the game is serial number 1597. This makes it number 597 and others (including mine) have higher serial numbers so the "545" production number is not accurate. The guy has a 1964 Bally Grand Tour too
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#73 4 years ago
Quoted from ZNET:

I upgraded my Skyrocket backglass to the one depicted here

Inquiring minds want to know where you scored another BG and what you did with the rest of the game.

#79 4 years ago
Quoted from ZNET:

who just bought a decent $1,500 Skyrocket

My purchase was under 1k so, without using a pun, their value has increased drastically.

#81 4 years ago
Quoted from ZNET:

I see what you did there.

#85 4 years ago

Yes, it is taking a lot of time and patience to stay on task with this restoration but my looming problem is what to do with the playfield. I really want it to look as good as the NicoVolta clearcoated masterpiece so I am weighing some options about a full-blown professional restoration and clearing or just taking it to a best level I can produce myself.

Decisions, decisions.

Here is another somewhat relevant tie-in for your entertainment enjoyment.

1 week later
#87 4 years ago
Quoted from 1974DeltaQueen:

I just got a Skyrocket hit FB Marketplace and I jumped on it . Nicovolta gave me the notice and Znet sold me a much better glass than the one that came with the game.
It plays 95+ % needs a light shop job and some PF restoration.

Pictures or it didn't happen !! Congrats and welcome to the club !

Seriously, post your serial number. Mine is 2030 and makes its it the 1,030th made out of the reported 545 made.

#88 4 years ago

Playfield cleaning is complete. I used a sanding drum on a dremel to clean up the old white cleaner deposits on the sides of switch and target holes and emery boards to clean up the narrow rollover slots. Still have the shooter lane to sand clean and some finer sanding to do on the 2 saucers. I took the advice in another playfield restoration thread and used Meguiar's Polishing Compound instead of Novus 2 to clean the playfield after ME and Iso.
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Holy shit, does this stuff put a hell of a shine on the playfield and I have blisters on 4 fingers to prove it.

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So, I started with 5 options on how to complete the playfield and have it narrowed to a final selection.

Option 1: Do nothing after cleaning. This does not address bare wood or cupped inserts. PASS
Option 2: Varathane. Too many horror stories. PASS
Option 3: Professional restoration. Most costly, very long backlog and would have to totally strip the back. PASS
Option 4: Perform touchups and have a local shoot 2PAC but he does not fill inserts. PASS

This leads me to SprayMax 2K. I am busy reading and re-reading that thread along with Vid's and other's threads on playfield restoration to make sure I do things in the proper order.

More updates to follow.

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#92 4 years ago

Congrats Bryan.

If anyone else wants to play along at home, here is your chance. I predict this one will land between $ 1,500 and $ 2,000.

ebay.com link: Sky Rocket Pinball Machine 1970 Bally

#94 4 years ago
Quoted from NicoVolta:

Whoa. That should clean up nice. Technically the one on the museum floor right now is mine (and will eventually be replaced with something else)... so... hmmmm.

Huh? Wait. What ?? You are looking to sell your gold standard and are wanting to restore another one ?

#96 4 years ago
Quoted from ZNET:

this title has been escalating in value.

skyrocketing

Fixed that for ya

#102 4 years ago

Holy crap! It had stalled out just above $ 1,000 yesterday and I was shocked to see where it ended.

I think the eBay seller needs to take all of us Skyrocket owners out for dinner.

#104 4 years ago

You are ABSOLUTELY responsible for putting me and others into a Skyrocket trance with your beautiful example but I did not bid on this eBay listing.

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Retro Electro Designs
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$ 100.00
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Trident Pinball Homebrew
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