This was my dream game when I started in the pinball hobby.... I'm an Automotive Machinist/Race Engine builder by day.....Drag race & own Muscle cars for a side hobby. So a drag racing themed game was the cream of the crop for me..... plus, it just does not get any cooler than this Dave Christensen Backglass...

I bought this game last Spring from Vic Camp in NJ. It sat in his Sisters house for 20+ years in same spot in her living room. Sunlight coming in the picture window took a toll on the cabinet fading all the reds to almost a translucent orange. The PF was not too bad, but was covered in mylar, rest of it was typical of a non restored game. Backglass was/is very nice.

I started by doing a set of CPR plastics, new drop targets, rubbers, polished up some of the metal.... new pop bumper caps/bodies etc. Played it for a while that way.... broke down & bought a CPR PF at York last year from Starship Fantasy....

Before Christmas, swapped in the CPR.... went to fire game back up, no GI, & wouldn't start a game... Got disgusted with it & let it sit, while I went & worked some other games. Finally found some time here lately, got back on it..... found the GI issue, was a staple that I had done on lamp braid that went in at an angle & was shorting out on the side of a GI lamp socket body.... took me a while to find that one. Was hidden in between the wood & the body of the socket. Got everything playing good, all feature lights working etc. & then decided it was time for a cab job, couldn't take looking at the nasty faded paint anymore. Also someone had broken into the coin box area many years ago when it was on location & it had a steel "cabinet saver" Cabinet bottom bolted on it.... which covered up about 2" of the bottom of the cabinet art....

Pulled the saver, filled in all the bolt holes etc.... new Pinball Pimp stencil job... new stainless side rails.... the coin door amazingly is original. It's by far the nicest condition original Bally I have had. Usually I put a new coin door skin on when doing a cab job, but this one will suffice. New PF glass, new stainless lift trim, full polish on coin door trim/bolts, all PF metal etc. Repainted all the PF woodrails, Bead blasted & shot legs black to match all my other Ballys, polished the bolts.... Yada yada..... I kind do all my Bally's the same treatment.

Comet Retro Clear Warm LEDs on Playfield GI, 47's under PF (all boards are factory Bally) & Comet Warm 2SMD Frosteds in Backbox..... Played about 15 games on it tonight & all working 100%, switches all adjusted, feature lights all working.... ready to go in my Pinball room tomorrow in "Bally Row". I've got a Stern Trident project all torn apart, just about ready for PF clear coat this week & an Evel Knievel Cab paint coming up now that this one is done.... Paragon after that.

Now if I could just find a mint apron for it........ I'm hoping for a Repo here this year.....

Not sure where my pics went..... will try this again

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These things eat up way too many hours..... but damn, they are pretty when done. I own all the major manufacturers early Solid States.... Gottlieb, Stern, Williams etc.... but for my $ there is just nothing like a Bally. They are flat out, just the "best" in every way...

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The one hanging on wall above my workbench is a CPR that I bought before I owned the game.... thought maybe I'd get a game with a bad glass (I like to be prepared for future, I've got couple thousand $ worth of BG's hanging on my walls waiting for games someday, Greatwich repo Star Gazer, Greatwich repo Seawitch, NOS Captain Fantastic, Mint 8 Ball, Mint BlackJack, FireQueen, 2 STARS, Mint Night Rider, Big Game etc etc) .... luckily the one in the game was perfect.

Not to turn this into a CPR Bashfest, on their BG's....But the colors on the repo are not great....the red in particular is quite washed out, as well as the black. But worse than that, I bought it a little over a year ago also from Starship Fantasy, & it has just hung on the wall, just like all my other glasses & it has started to delaminate in one spot about 4" long, & has a crack in the art as well about 3" long leading out of the #1 display box..... not sure what deal is.... My Garage/Pinball room are heated/& humidity controlled.... it is the only glass of the 20 or so I have hanging that has done that so.......... I dunno. Not overly impressed with their BG quality. I have Stern, Williams, Gottlieb, Bally & John Greatwich Stern Repo's all hanging on walls... again... none have ever been an issue, so I can't say it's how or where I have it displayed....

BUT.... I DO appreciate everything they do for making aftermarket parts for this hobby. I have CPR plastics in a ton of games, their PF in this one, & I'm on their Pre-order list for 2 others right now. I just think some of their BG's are not quite where I'd like to see them.

It found it's new permanent home today.....

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& I used the same Rustoleum 2X Apple Red in gloss on mine as well. Going to use it on Evel Knievel as well here in next week or so.

Cool, I'll check it out. I gotta find a Darker blue for Paragon as well. That's up after EK.

Uh.... no, that is definitely not on my wishlist LOL. There are certain games that Just have zero appeal to me.... Looks like a fun playing game, with the side flipper & some interesting target shots, but the art is a big turn off. Future Spa is same way... I just can't ever see owning one.

I've got a line on a Stern Dracula.... that hopefully will be added in next few months.... & I have a hair brain idea about building a Fathom.... I have a PF... & if I could find the inline 3 drop targets with memory... & could figure out a wire harness... I'd be in to do one just for the challenge.

I think after that.... save my pennies & I'd like to find a Star Gazer & SeaWitch. SG's just rarely ever even come up for sale anymore.

Captain Fantastic & a Williams Sorcerer somewhere along the line.... & that's about it. If I had those games to round out my collection here in next couple years, I think I'd be pretty content. Maybe a Hulk.... it's probably the only Gottlieb I can talk myself into.

The Skateball dude looks way too much like the famous Ted Kaczynski (Unabomber) FBI Sketch.... every time I see it, I see him... LOL I'm big into historical mystery/true crime stuff as well. Read a lot about true crime, Serial Killers especially. So... maybe thats why I just can't get with Skateball.

Sneak peek of Trident Progress... Lot of touchups... Little bit of clear....

Poseidon will be back to life in no time....

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