" the BEST Trek pin of all " - said no one ever.

It's a pretty good game. I've owned one for about 4 years or so. Not sure if it needs its own club though lol

IDK... "best TREK pin" is a broad reaching statement. I'd argue any STAR trek pin beats mars trek hands down... even a broken one.

Bustin' your chops... because there isn't enough negativity in Pinside threads. :O
I kid... sorta.

This seems to be a pretty exclusive and quiet club for an amazing game! Cross posting this in case anyone here has thoughts: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/em-sonic-mars-trek-variations

I'm in! Where are all the others?! Any clues to production run?

Hey there, new to the Mars Trek club (and pretty new to pinball too), quite a fun and addicting title! I have worked on a few EM machines, this being my most modern, so it feels like it has a lot of fun stuff going on. Neat to see how far things got at the end of the EM era.

Bought one a few weeks ago, most things seem to work as they should now. I just made a general post asking advice on cabinet repair, but figured I would join the old club too:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/sonic-mars-trek-cabinet-repair-stabilizing#post-5148139

Just brought home a Mars Trek, and I'm wanting to upgrade to the retro LEDs that comet has. I'm wondering if anyone has used the kit they offer to upgrade to LEDs. I really want to maintain the warm look of the original incandescent bulbs, but get a little more light from the LEDs.

Also does anyone have a rubber count?

Steve from PBR has a rubber kit everything but one of them is correct. I told him and I think he fixed it by now.
One of the sizes I think isn’t made anymore

LOVE this game. I'm still trying to get mine to start. It's in beeyoutee shape, but the last guy, whenever it was having trouble starting a game, would open the coin door and squirt wd40 in there. Claimed it would start right up then. Until it didn't, and he let it sit for 15 years.

I THINK I'm close. I know it has a frozen bonus unit, but even with that reset by hand, I still have issues with startup.

Such a groovy game.

Wow, just spraying wildly with WD40?! How the hell did it not light up like a candle??

Someone should make stencils for this title. My cabinet is absolutely shot and every time it’s moved it big hunks come off. Gonna build a new one but I love the side art on this.

Thanks! I’ll check it out today. Haven’t ordered anything from Steve in a while. Hope he still has my account open.

Thought of one more thing I need, and it's a super long shot. My left flipper is broken. Both the right flippers are the original sonic flipper (white with the S on them). Does anyone know of any NOS sonic flippers or repros?

I didn't use the kit, mine is still mostly incandescent but did use some of their bulbs. I don't think they had the retro ones then, so what I got is kinda bright compared to the original-which actually helps in some places on the backglass (like the dark game over and ball 5 etc). I used some of their color changing and "fire" bulbs for cool effects, as posted by a Tom Malloy on Facebook's EM pinball page (you can search there and find it, although video link now seems dead). Basically slow color change bulb goes behind the woman's face in the backglass, and "fire" bulbs go behind where the rocket engines are...I added another on the playfield behind the upper left plastic with a comet on it.

I just replaced the rubber kit on it with one from Titan Pinball. Used their kit, but changed the flipper rubbers to yellow. Would note their kit is short one of the little post rubbers (presumably missed the one in the ball drain).

Wow...what a technique... Good luck with your repairs! My bonus unit was missing a coil. When starting a ball/game the bonus does start at 1,000, not zero. So, as it resets, it counts all the way down, but then does count up one before it is done...just in case that helps you.

Building a new cabinet/finding a donor is probably the way to go, but I have been keeping mine limping along. Took it to an Expo last year, but don't want to move it around thanks to the easily damaged/heavy cabinet. I added some aluminum from Home Depot that helped the aesthetics, along the bottom sides at least. It was a 8ft piece I think, cutting it exactly in half gave me what was needed for each side. Had to buy the large size they had because so much was gone on mine, I think it was like $35, but came out nice. Lots of wood glue & varathane wood hardener used too.

Stencils would be nice, but read somewhere their graphics weren't originally stenciled on, so it doesn't lend itself to that format well.

DSC07485 (resized).JPG

DSC09705 (resized).JPG

I installed the retro leds from comet in the back box a couple nights ago. Still need to do the playfield gi and inserts and fix a few sockets in the backbox. Here is the before and after. I think the retro bulbs they offer really match the incandescent look well.

B03F7874-E2BD-4650-8333-09C2521C6797 (resized).jpeg

E6363A51-3AA2-461F-AAB7-B6F5EDD2EF98 (resized).jpeg

Your cabinet is nicer than mine. Mine is more “together” but the entire bottom is swollen and the graphics are badly faded and flaking. I really want to build a new cabinet, just no clue how to remake the side art. It’s incredible!

My only other issue is one spinner is missing the decals entirely.
Any source for these or can anyone provide a scan?

7FC97A30-D592-4660-949C-C012D27470C0.jpeg411690FB-32DA-43BE-B23B-2852277E935B.jpeg60A14B6C-4D79-407B-9888-71F5962AE666.jpeg
For whatever reason I don’t seem to have a picture of the playfield fully restored! Weird

I have the same issue on the spinner decals. I found them on Marcos!

The detail on this machine is way too fine to cut in stencils. That’s why the game was originally screen printed on in the factory

Anyone know of a lock that fits the coindoor on Mars Trek?

The standard $4 lock from Pinball Resource works fine. I put one on the coin door & on the replacement I made for the backbox door. I think the original latch was still there for me to use with the new lock with the coin door, not sure if the provided latch will work...may need to fiddle around with that, but it will fit in the door just fine.

Perfect. I'll order a couple as I need one for the backbox as well. Also trying to figure out which one fits my Gottlieb Wild Wild West. The opening on the Gottlieb has two flat spots rather than being a perfect circle like the Mars Trek.

I need to find a backdoor for mine. Any idea where I could get one?

That same lock will work in Wild Wild West, lock has that shape to keep it from spinning in the hole, we have two mutual games! I have bought a bunch of those locks and have yet to find a game I haven't been able to make them work with, and nice to have a key that works for everything.

I have not sourced a back door before, have just made them with stuff I have around. I have some maybe 1/4" masonite like material, which has a white glossy finish on one side that I have been using to make doors from. Sure, it wouldn't be secure in an arcade, but it keeps the dust out, and tones down the bells as intended on older games. Cut to shape, drill a hole for the lock & good to go. My Super Score was missing the track that the back door sets in, was able to improvise with some c-channel that was intended for an adjustable shelving system.

Trying to rebuild the pop bumper on my Mars Trek. Tried ordering a Williams rebuild set from Steve at PBR and apparently I got the wrong one. Does anyone know what part numbers are the correct ones for this game? Also I’m missing the return spring so the bumper doesn’t work right now. I’d like to get the right one to get this thing playing again, it’s killing me not having my Martian beauty flipping!

I just rebuilt my pops with these parts. Also added new light sockets and mylar rings. The pop bumper caps were a tight fit on the new body so I sanded the top of the body to get a perfect fit, didn't take much to get them on there.
2x WLL-A4754 Pop bumper rod and ring
2x GTB-A-10430 Pop bumper centering spring
2x WLL-10-326+ Pop bumper return spring
2x A1218W White Pop bumper skirt
2x DE-545-5197-00 Pop bumper body
2x B10432W Pop bumper base

Played this game last night and really enjoyed. About how many were made?

Just rescued one and deciding what to do with it.

3F8CD998-3AB3-438D-A34E-E4646FB61465 (resized).jpeg

Restore it. It’s one of the best EMs ever made

Machine - For Sale

Mars Trek Archived

Functional - needs minor work - “Working Mars Trek (See Video) -Playfield Excellent Condition -Backglass Excellent Condition -Turns on and plays. -Cabinet Needs Repair -Needs Cleaning Will provide more photos ...”

2021-09-05

Sioux Falls, SD

Waxx

800 (OBO)

Archived after: 33 days

Viewed: 680 times

Status: Not sold

I'm not really an EM guy and thought I would just let someone else restore it. It is working and does have a phenomenal backglass and playfield.

Thanks

Does anyone has a copy or a source for the Mars trek instruction cards?

http://www.pinballrebel.com/pinball/cards/

If you had not found what you wanted already, copies are available for download from this website. Just select "Sonic" on the left, and then click "Mars Trek" and a couple things should be downloaded. The PDF version shows up better on my computer.

thanks i got that one

When my game resets for a new game the score reels reset meanwhile
the coil on the reset bank under the playfield keeps engaging until the score reels reach zero than
the coil stops and the game starts and plays fine.

Would this be a normal start up sequence for this game?

Thanks northstar-

Just checked mine and the relay bank fires 3 separate times while the game is resetting so I believe that is normal.

I didn’t realize there was a club! I joined a year or so ago. Sonic makes the best EM playfields and the worst cabinets and mine is no exception.

But, the gameplay is just sublime. I have mine dialed in and I must say it is the smoothest, fastest EM I have ever played. It has been a huge hit at tournaments and gets lots of love. With some luck, I hope to enter it into the TPF tournament bank next year.

Here is some video from my tournament earlier this year. Note the gushing from the commentators and the stream watchers.
If the link doesn’t take you to the proper time stamp, it is at 5:51:52