Multi-ball is hugely overrated.
One of the best pinball machines ever made imho.
The bg also features Tammy Faye.

My Cyclone will ALWAYS be a part of the family.

Hey mof... you wouldn't want to part with that Space Shuttle (or Space Station) would you?

I, too, love my Cyclone. Python Angelo is awesome, met him at Expo 2012 when they wheeled him into speech tied to a gurney a la Hannibal Lector.

Recently bought some promotional clown plastics, trying to fashion them into a topper.

I got one....!! You can learn a lot from the design and overall choreography on how to make good pinball. Jpop

Five things you may not know about Cyclone:

1 - The backglass was done both as a translite and screen printed glass (the latter the more rare.)
2 - Larry DeMar is credited within the game code on the L1 ROM, even though he has no official credit on the game. This credit was removed in the later versions, specifically L4 and L5.
3 - The "Proto 2" sound ROMs for Cyclone were eventually adopted as the L1 production release sound ROMs. If you have an early machine with Proto 2 sound ROMs there is no need to upgrade if they are working correctly.
4 - Some people incorrectly state that the backglass with Ron and Nancy was unauthorized and that once the WH found out about it forced a change. In fact the Reagans may not have even known about it or if they did it was not a big deal for them.
5 - Some believe the dog in Reagan's lap is Rex, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Ron gave to Nancy when he entered his second term. However, the dog looks more like Millie, the English Springer Spaniel the Bush's had when they were in the WH. Someone should ask Python about this next chance they get. While Rex had a reputation for being better behaved than Lucky (the previous presdential pooch,) Rex has been referred to as a "yipper" that annoyed much of the WH staff.

viperrwk

Cyclone is one of my 2 grail games. Finally managed to get one last fall.

It is the first of 2 machines that got me interested in pinball. I was a kid in the early 80's and definitely part of the video generation. When I was in college, Cyclone was the first game that really clicked with me and got me interested. Whirlwind followed next in that location spot and cemented the deal (grail #2). Loved pinball from then on but still loved vids as well. The vid interest migrated into computer games shortly thereafter. But, pinball was still something a computer couldn't do (and still can't).

Fast forward to the 2000's, I was listening to a retro-gaming podcast and one of the segments was talking about replacement CPU boards. I was like, huh? Replacement boards? Wait a minute, you mean you can OWN these things?!?

-*L I G H T B U L B*-

The rest is history!

Jaz

This pic is as of right now!

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I do need a cyclone ramp if anyone has one that is not broken at the entry or new.

My wife to be back in 1989 rented Cyclone for my 30th birthday, what a surprise! 20 years later nearing a mid-life experience, thought I would love to own one... Found one locally in 2009 and it has complemented the 9 pin line up with a playfield swap from CPR.

One of the best single ball pins which keeps on saying " We Have A Winner." Classic!!

Enjoy!

I had one for sale out here in Hillsboro about a year ago. Guy came down from Seattle to buy it, it was in excellent condition.

How bad is the ramp? Have you tried Shoe Goo for ramp repairs? If you are in need of a manual, I have an extra.

Great game!
If you have not heard the band Mr Bungle, and their song "Carousel"' it is worth a fast listen, can be found easily on YouTube. The are TONS so Cyclone samples used in the song, and references to it in the lyrics.

Entry sides are broke off and missing. Have manual.

Cyclone is the first pin I fell in love with on location back in the late 80's. This game really clicked with me. Had to have one & now I do. Nice example purchased from a fellow pinsider last year for a price we were both happy with.

Anybody have a decent subway diverter ramp for cyclone tat they would be willing to part with? It's the one that is under the PF

Same here! It's the game that got me into pinball. Super duper fantastic. One day if I find a nice one I will own one!

_{sorry members, back to your members only thread}

I bought my Cyclone because I already had and liked the Comet pin. I was pleasantly surprised by what a good pin Cyclone turned out to be. I definitely agree that it doesn't need a DMD or multiball to be an excellent machine. Lots to do, and it keeps us coming back for more.

I love Cyclone and have many fond memories playing at Camelot in Anaheim, Bay Arcade in Newport Beach and Pak-Mann arcade in Pasadena back in the late 80's & early 90's. Cyclone became my first pin which I just bought two months ago! I've put a lot of effort into bringing it back from the dead. It's almost there but need more help (below topic started.)

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/williams-cyclone-outhole-kicker-other-issues

Props to E_M_3 for referencing the Mr. Bungle song Carousel featuring Cyclone samples! First time I heard that song in 1998 I immediately recognized the callouts

I hope to join the Cyclone club as well (Does owning a broken Cyclone make me eligible?

Of course!

Cyclone is why i started collecting pins. I have owned 3 until i found the one that was a true nice keeper. Love the callouts on this pin. I also had to have Hurricane and Comet. I got super lucky on the Comet. A lady had it on craigslist in a very wealthy community in Palm Beach for $500. All the local collectors didnt jump on this one because it was a Comet. I emailed her, 2 weeks later she called me. She had been on vacation out of the country. I ended up going over, and couldnt believe my eyes. It was owned since new by her. The original mylar is still in the cabinet, with the key chain,goodie bag and original manual and ect. papers. I have now owned it for 3 years,and it still looks brand new. One of my luckiest finds.

I'm in the habit of pulling back the plunger on my games before raising or lowering the pf. But I like the way you think.

So how does this affect the plunge skill shot?

You'd be best off placing a separate WTB post for this - and be prepared to pay for it:

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/fs-cyclone-in-bloomington-mn-not-mine#post-446812

Or at least patch your existing ramp - looks don't matter since it's under the playfield.

viperrwk

Mine does the same thing - the 4x flashes. Not sure why.

Mine was the 3x, but now it's the 5x. Wtf?

It's the multiplier point of an extra ball. When the Multiplier reacher that point you get (or light) an extra ball.

Since it can be adjusted to a fixed or reflex value, it may always be at a set number (such as 4x) or at a moving value as the machine tries to keep the extra balls at a set percentage (say 10% or 15%).

It's all in the adjustments and in the manual...

edit to add: Reading the instruction card on the machine (the one right there on the apron) says that the flashing X awards a special.

So It really is a special (that could award an extra ball).

Adjustments: 07 special awards points/ex ball/credit
45 Special Auto Adjustment (moves the special award to try to hit percentage)
46 Special @ X (set to 2x to 7x), If 45 Auto is on this is the start point.

_{Post edited by themadman : more info}

Yes, entering the boomerang increases the multiplier. Once your multiplier reaches the lit value you score a special.

EDIT: Beat to the punch again!

At default settings, the 3x (or is it 4x?) bonus multiplier is flashing to let you know that achieving that goal will award a special. As the game gets played over & over, the award is moved upwards so that a special is harder to get. Mine is flashing at 6x now.
Anyway, you can change it however you like in the settings.

What he said:

You may be confusing the bonus multiplier with the special multiplier level. The factory setting for Adj 46 on the L4 and L5 ROMs is 5X. If at game start the 5X isn't flashing either the game has auto-adjusted or someone has manually set Adj 46.

viperrwk

Thanks for the clarification viperrwk.

By the way, when I played Cyclone on location 25 years ago, if I lucked into the boomerang a couple of times I would immediately begin trying to win the special. Free credits were a big deal back in my poor days.

Cyclone rule sheet:
http://www.ipdb.org/rulesheets/617/cyclone.htm

You guys are magic. I got out my old tattered manual today as a matter of fact, but I still couldn't find it. My Boomerang return is a real drainer... that's probly why the number keeps rising. I'm lucky to get two boomerang shots without draining on the return.

I just looked at that rulesheet: "Special -- You can get a special by getting your Bonus X up to the flashing light, on the Bonus X light wheel, just above the flippers. I've seen the flashing light as low as 3, and as high as 7. It's usually a good indication of how polite the boomerang kickout is."

Obviously mine is getting ruder by the day.

My Boomerang return is a real drainer...

Mine is very unpredictable. Left flipper, right flipper, or occasionally down the middle? It's a real crap shoot on my pin.
But I've found that the most dangerous thing about shooting for the boomerang is a missed shot, which usually drains down the left outlane on a "soft" miss. A "hard" miss sends the ball into the slings and we all know what can happen after that.
I don't know about the rest of you but on my game I must make a solid, accurate shot to get it into the boomerang. It's almost not worth the risk.

Btw, anyone needing a manual, schematics, or general info about Cyclone can get it here:
http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=cyclone&search=Search+Database&searchtype=quick#617

problem of protecting cracks that I already have -- I wonder what's good for that...

I use Ambroid ProWeld on the advice of other pinsiders. It's clear & you just "paint" it on with the supplied brush. Haven't used it long enough to know if it's helping though. I figure it can't hurt.

ambroid.jpg

Does anyone know where to get the Cyclone flag set??

Mine has the American flag in the middle but that's it. Anyone have them? I heard they look great!

Mark Clayton (Pinball Pal) made the repros and then sold his remaining stock to PPS. They sold out of them late last year/early this year sometime. Unless someone has a set lying around they are not planning to use or you are willing to make your own, you're OOL.

viperrwk

PPS?

Planetary Pinball Supply (pinball.com.)

viperrwk