I have to admit the flippers on Vampire do need a upgrade. The bonus shot has to be just perfect with factory flippers. Any details (part numbers) on the parts you changed. As I mentioned I currently don't have the game in my position. Maybe someone has a previous post on upgrading Bally flippers. I'll look but i'm not very good at searching Pinside. Anyone have pictures before and after the upgrade? I'm going to use pinballplatingandmore.com for my metal work. I meet him at Allentown and again at the Atlanta show. Great guy.

Be sure and post a picture with the new flipper parts installed. I have to pick up my Vampire. Maybe I can get it over the weekend. The guy that has it is a doctor and a good friend. I need to work around his schedule. Saving lives is more important than pinball.

I think that if you go with gloss or matte you will only have a cosmetic difference, the play should be the same. Flattened clear is the same clear, just with a flattening agent. Also flattened clear cannot be buffed because it becomes glossy, however imperfections aren't as noticeable without the shine.

If a manual was made for Bally games during this time period I will need one as well.

You have a head start on me and you have a helper.

Due to the drastically different main frames, I just ended up buying a used set of Classic Bally Solid State flipper assemblies. Such as these from a strikes and spare:

ebay.com link: Bally STRIKES SPARES and others Pinball Machine FLIPPER BRACKET WITH COIL

ebay.com link: Bally STRIKES SPARES and others Pinball Machine FLIPPER BRACKET WITHOUT COIL

Photos of original and replacements.

bally flipper assys (resized).jpg

Bally right assy (resized).jpg

If you DO buy those two used assemblies off ebay, you will want to follow up your purchase with two new plunger and links and coil stops and coil sleeves (available from The Pinball Resource and others). Your original flipper coils will be fine.

I have several parts playfields (Bally) so I should be able to find complete assembly's. I thinks the closest to Strikes and Spares is a EK. I think I also have a Night Rider. Changing the hole assembly does make sense if their is enough room.

. Even the flipper assemblies from any Bally EM after Wizard will do (I think wizard was the transition game?) Probably the only obstacles you might encounter will be the GI or feature lamp staple down braid wire getting in the way. Overall, the base plates are about the same size. Just drastically different hole patern.

It appears some on the internet have even used WPC assemblies but I believe that would be total overkill. Plus, their foot print is drastically larger.

Since I will be installing the new assemblies on a NOS playfield, moving the GI and anything else in the way should be no problem.

Your playfield looks pretty good. Just a little dirty. I was wrong before, a manual was made for Vampire. I will check with some of my sources and see if I can come up with a manual. Ill let you know what I find thru this thread. Good luck with your tear down.

I just talked to a friend who has a restored Vampire. He's going to check on the manual and schematic tomorrow.

I've got a pdf of the schematic but no manual

Sure

That's a great looking playfield.

Once the inserts are leveled and you clear, it might be the best out there.

Make SURE you epoxy the inserts from the rear on that one!

My Friend can't find the keys to Vampire. I'll keep after him. He's a doctor so sometimes he disappears for a couple of days. He did say he will keep looking.

There is so little red in the playfield art I think doing the armor etc. in red will really look nice. If you haven't decided already, I would even go with Translucent red Thumper Bumper Caps! Just know that you will want to use the more contemporary body to go with the newer style cap. Perhaps a customer Bumper Decal is in order?

That Candy Red Vein would have looked killer on the coin door and frame!

Lots of Bleeding fonts for "100 points when lit"

http://www.fontspace.com/category/blood

I'm on it!!! I got other fields curing so I had time to start. You had a loose insert so I popped that, clean it and the hole up and epoxied it. It's all clean and sanded. Leveling inserts and touching up now. The yellowing has really posed a challenge in terms of matching up colors. Only red and green are left to do.

Will do!!!

Ill text him again today. He was off work Monday and said he would check for me. I may have to run down and pick it up if he found it. But that's no problem he's only about 50 miles away and I still need to pickup my machine. My playfield from Ron Krusman should be here any day now. I need the machines playfield to start the dimpling process on the NOS playfield.

Great thread for a great looking machine! I may have to add one of these to my wish list. I'm not an EM guy, but man this one is pretty sweet for an EM!
I'll be following this to see how your cab work comes out.

That red really came out nice! Why am I craving a steak now, Rare.

I told people in another topic that Vampire was in this scene in American Graffiti and they made the same comment. This is my favorite movie from the 70's. When I was in high school 70-73 on Omaha we has a strip that we cruised, Dodge Street, 72nd to 84th street and then back. Over and over again at 20mph. McDonalds was the parking lot at on end, Crossroads Mall at the other end. I drove a gold 71 Firebird with the 8 track playing, playing songs like "Jimmy don't lose that number" "American Pie" and "Nights in white satin". Almost forgot " Layla and " " Long cool woman in a black dress". Damn those were some good times.

By the way I just noticed, I own all of the games in the background. Even the Upper Deck behind one of the Pharaohs. Notice actor Jerry Reed in the doorway at the far right. That's a very young Richard Dreyfuss getting ready to break into one of the pinball machines. He was forced to by the Pharaohs. Lots of other TV and movie star's got their big break in this movie. If you haven't seen it make it a point to watch it with someone from that generation. This also proved that George Lucas was a genius. As he made this movie a little movie was rolling around in his head. Maybe you heard of it. "Star Wars". Man I can get off topic. Sorry.