Since the last post the playfield was sanded flat, and recleared. I laid down an additional 2 coats of clear. After a week passed I sanded it smooth and flat one last time before final buffing. It's not perfect, but I'm happy with it.

Finally I'm up to the fun stuff..... reassembly!

Started off with relieving each hole on the entire playfield that'll get either a ball guide or screw will be installed with a sharp countersink bit spun between my fingers. This will help ensure the clear won't chip or crack.

Then the ball guides were straightened, polished, and pounded into place.
IMG_20191110_134206438 (resized).jpg

Next came all of the original posts that were cleaned, and installed with polished original hardware.
IMG_20191110_151251763 (resized).jpg

Then came the rails, and new rubbers.
IMG_20191110_192503498 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191110_163633726 (resized).jpg

It's finally starting to look like a pinball machine again!

I Installed new pop bumpers with some NOS ivory skirts that Steve at PBR still had in stock. Even though the rings are new I spent a few minutes with them and a buffing wheel.
IMG_20191110_195427216 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191110_202007489 (resized).jpg

I think I'm going to have to shave about 1/16" off the bottom to get them a touch closer to the surface. They just look like they're sitting a bit too high.
IMG_20191110_195443220 (resized).jpg

Man I can't wait to play this thing! This is going to be one fast machine!
IMG_20191110_202015590 (resized).jpg

Next up will the rest of assembling the playfield, and finally getting it back into the cabinet.

-Paul

Thank you!

I did leave them as they are to see how they play as they sit now. Tomorrow I should have some time to work on it, and get it done. I just have lots of parts on the underside of the playfield to polish before I reinstall them, and lots of coil sleeves to replace.

We recently picked up another pin (a 2nd Olympic Hockey) that's been taking up my time so the updates here have been slow in coming.

Thanks!
IMG_20191110_163540599 (resized).jpg

-Paul

Spent a little time today getting closer to finishing this little project.

A few days ago I polished the drop targets, and repainted the rings. Then followed up with a shot of clear to seal it in.
IMG_20191201_182919979 (resized).jpg

Also did a little work on the spinners.
IMG_20191201_183813614 (resized).jpg

Polished up the arches and reinstalled it on the playfield. As with everything else I polished and reused all of the original hardware.
IMG_20191208_170535243 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_171026872 (resized).jpg

It's starting to come all together!
IMG_20191208_170953188 (resized).jpg

The more parts get reinstalled the better it looks.
IMG_20191208_171049472 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_170929898 (resized).jpg

I wanted to get the playfield back in the cabinet, and under glass, but I forgot I never refinished the side rails, so I did a quick sanding, and polishing to install them on the cabinet.
IMG_20191208_171627690_HDR (resized).jpg

There were some deep scratches, and dents, but they call came out fairly easily.
IMG_20191208_180913238 (resized).jpg

And it's in!
IMG_20191208_211124678 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_211608770 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_211621199 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_211628606 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_211637868 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_212805236 (resized).jpg

I ran out of nylon nuts to finish installing the rest of the plastics, but being that I have to flatten them first it's no biggie. Just a slight delay.
I still have to refinish the lockdown bar, and finish up the coin door, but we're sooo close to powering it up.

Thanks for following!
-Paul

Just a couple of more pics showing the shooter lane as well.

IMG_20191208_170449731 (resized).jpg
IMG_20191208_170507790 (resized).jpg

Should post more updates later tonight.

-Paul

I wish I could say that I'm ready for it too.

Ran in to a bit of a snag that ended up with the playfield back on the rotisserie to chase a short somewhere in the GI and insert lighting. It powered up and played, but none of the lights except for the credit light lit. Everything on the backglass worked fine so I just have to find and fix it.

It really took the wind out of my sails as I was excited to wrap this up, and enjoy it. Needless to say I was so frustrated with it tha I just had to take a break from it.

I'll be back at it today.

In the mean time here's a picture of "Pin Inspector Bubbs"!
IMG_20190612_142907_02 (resized).jpg

-Paul

Spent a little time today chasing down a short in the GI. After a couple of hours I found a bad light socket, and a loose solder connection that was responsible.

Just a few pics to show the progress.

IMG_20200112_182508122 (resized).jpg
IMG_20200112_183638965 (resized).jpg
IMG_20200112_182206259 (resized).jpg
IMG_20200112_182313321 (resized).jpg
IMG_20200112_182334188_HDR (resized).jpg
IMG_20200112_183815506_HDR (resized).jpg

They sure look nice.
IMG_20200112_183441419 (resized).jpg

We're going to BGResto for a custom one that'll be slightly different from a stock one.
IMG_20200112_184157923 (resized).jpg
IMG_20200112_183404464 (resized).jpg

It's progress.

-Paul

Just a couple more.

IMG_20200112_213241544 (resized).jpg

IMG_20200112_220239354 (resized).jpg

It's been a while since I last updated this thread on the cleaning up of our Grand Prix so after working on it earlier today I thought I'd post a few pics of my progress.

Where we last left off was basically a finished machine with a horrid backglass.
465 (resized).jpg

All the red is faded to a light pink, and there are cracks in the art all along the left side.
467 (resized).jpg

The red is totally gone, and was actually touched up by the original owner.
468 (resized).jpg

So I brought it up to a table covered in a sheet, and knocked off the lift channel with a mallet and a block of wood.
470 (resized).jpg

Then I taped up around some off the score windows to define their exact location because after all the original artwork is removed there will be no reference to line up the new art.
473 (resized).jpg

Now the ugly task of scraping it bare using a razor blade, and some glass cleaner for lubrication. The cleaner also keeps all of the paint chips confined for easier cleanup.
475 (resized).jpg

Now its just a bare piece of glass with the score window edges defined by the tape on the other side.
476 (resized).jpg

Now it's a matter of lining up the new artwork we got from @Atari_Daze. Here you can see the blue tape showing it's out of alignment.
477 (resized).jpg

Much better now.
478 (resized).jpg

At this point I put little pieces of tape all around the glass to lock in the location of the artwork, and installed the freshly polished lift channel, and the original top edge channel.
481 (resized).jpg

And in the machine it goes!
485 (resized).jpg

Soooo much better!
486 (resized).jpg

Just as I was admiring the new backglass the dreaded pin inspector Bubbs arrived to check up on my work....
483 (resized).jpg

He did a double take as he was walking away looking again for all of the old flaking artwork, and not seeing it.
484 (resized).jpg

Overall we're delighted at how it looks now. It's a nice finishing touch to our cleanup.

-Paul

It's not difficult at all. With taking my time, polishing the original lift channel, and cleanup took about an hour. The part that took the longest was scraping off the original artwork, and getting the glass 'hospital clean'. Like I said earlier I love the way it came out, and wouldn't hesitate getting another for another machine I'm working on (Olympic Hockey).

Shoot the man above you Atari_Daze a PM, and he can fill you in on how to get one.

-Paul

It looks great in person. It's a little washed out in the crappy cell phone pics I posted.

I'll get a better pic tomorrow.

-Paul

Thank you!

It was very rewarding to bring this back from the dead.

-Paul

Thank you for the kind words. It is a game totally worth saving! Happy New Year!

Thanks man!

Nah... no video yet. I really gotta make one someday.

-Paul

Createx acrylic paints. I just mixed up whatever color I needed.

Thanks!

Paul

I mix up all colors using a basic color 6 pack set. I think it has red, blue, yellow, green, black, and white. I also have florescent colors for when I need them like for Monster Gun, and Party Zone.

Pick up a cheap color wheel, and after familiarizing yourself with it mixing your own colors gets easier and easier. Just remember that some paints dry a hair darker than what it looks like wet.

Hope this helps!

-Paul