Ok, so i decided to document my restoration of a kiss machine. First off, it isnt mine. Im doing some side work for an amusement company and they asked me to do this. I have brought in 3 kiss machines, and a repro cleared playfield, so the plan is to do one high end restoration with the new playfield and i have pretty much as much freedom as i want to buy as many parts as i want, the next one will be a clean up, shop, get working, and make sure it will work for a long time. The third one is in pieces, the whole topside is torn down and everything is hanging underneath, the top of the playfield has white paint on it like they were going to paint it for an overlay (the sling area would need paint with the overlay they have) but without samding it first. So the plan on that one is pretty much put an overlay on it and get it running. At some point. I just started the full restore so that is what i will document first, and hopefully have my questions answered. I didnt take a bunch of pre pics of the cab or the playfield, i wasnt planning on documenting it, just got to work. The cab was in decent shape, but the art was faded and yellowed, so i fully stripped the cab, every part in it, sanded it down to bare wood, fixed any gouges or scratches with gold bondo or wood filler and sanded more, inside and out. What pics i have to follow. Stay tuned for a lot of pics and updates.

First round of sanding

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Even had the kids help

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One pic is pre body work, the other 2 are of the finished sanding. Right now the cab has been sent out to another person for repainting

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Pre teardown

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Before and after pics. Evaporust for 24 hours, then ultrasonic cleaner

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Ball return installed on the new playfield. This is an older repro, and it was kind of scary, as the top holes arent predrilled for the screws. The ball return coil bracket had holes drilled for the coil stop and linkage, but it didnt quite line up. It took some adjustments to make it actually work, but it all lines up now and should work great.

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A lot of the switches are rusted very badly, and the standup targets and pops too. I bought all new pop assemblies, but if anyone knows them, i could use the bally part number for all of the normally open switches.

i wish i would have thought of that! it wouldnt have helped for the ball return since the predrilled were slightly off, but it would have helped for the apron guides, i was going off of pics of the old playfield, and ended up getting it right, but it took awhile

also, does anyone have a lead on where to buy lamp sockets? i need the longer ones and shorter ones, one tab with the ground on the mount. marco didnt have them that i could find

thank you. you wouldnt happen to know a part number for them would you? i know pbr likes to have the part numbers

Thanks ken, just what i needed. For some reason i couldnt find that

Ya, he got hosed down after that, and he only sanded areas that were already done. I wouldnt let him do the bad stuff.

Slings and lane guides installed, next batch is being cleaned, ill try to take pics tomorrow.

Drop target assembly, pop bumper coil brackets, and the big lamp bracket are cleaning now for install friday

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hey thanks. i got some more done last night, im running out of parts and need to get my next order made.

if you do decide tosell your playfield, pm me a price. ill pass it along to the guy im working for, he may be interested for one of the other 2 machines

Screws for the last of the posts are cleaning up now. Ready to make the next order of bulb sockets, switches, and ground wire

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Drop target assembly is on, all posts are on, still working on pop bumpers

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thanks for the advice. the mount screws are pre drilled, but i do need to get them in, inlane posts definately need to go in soon! i have the pcb for the kiss lights, but the guy im doing this for wanted original unfortunately

Got my order from pbr today, should be able to move somewhat quickly now. Lane guides are installed except for one, and the wires below the flippers, these werent predrilled so i have to make sure they are exact before i drill in. Sanded the playfield rails and have the first coat of paint on them, they should be ready soon for install

Hey, it takes at least a 12 pack a night to keep up progress! Figure i bill it to my boss as (parts)!

Topside is pretty much done, i got the nails in for the first pop bumper bracket, and the predrilled holes are off. If i bend that bracket to make it fit, does anyone know if this will affect the pop coil? Got the rollover wires on, and about half the lamp sockets, going pretty good now. Drop target assembly has to be repositioned, more problems with that. A lot of adjustments due to this playfield.

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Thanks. Ya, its crazy how far off some of the holes are. Im hoping the other brakets are fine

today i did bulbs and ground wire. put the first pop braket in after bending it to fit, and i snapped a nail. luckily i have another, it just needs cleaned up. im doing the pops one at a time so i dont get messed up on how to put them back together. coming along

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Nope. No paint under the playfield. Is there a mechanical reason for it? (Hope not as its too late now)

Ya, kind of odd. But good to know there isnt a reason behind it

i thought maybe to protect it from carbon dust or something

Yes, but it does have a lacquer on the back, that should stop the moisture right? But if they did lacquer why not do the grey?

True. Thanks vid, clears it up for me

The one that was on it when i started, (really wish he woulda kept it instead of going with the old one) it had the wires soldered right to the traces by each socket, and it had the ground soldered in 2 spots. I can snap a pic of it if youd like, the wires have already been cut off though

Heres how the new style lamp board is wired, never cut the wires so its all hooked up

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