Just completed a full resto of machine. Some before resto pics:
It seems to be a very rare item. I have not been able to identify any other in existence although the serial no is 513. It is quite similar to the merchandiser produced by Exhibit Supply although with some unique Gottlieb components.
The machine had been sited at the Palisades Amusement Park, NJ, USA and following closure was relocated to storage by a family member of the Penny Arcade operation from whom I purchased the machine.
The machine had a range of issues. Poor cab and poor cab repairs; missing components of turntable timer; missing coin funnel, tray and holder; missing tilt components; extensive hacks and install of a poorly wired motor board chassis; no fuses.
First task was to install castors as these machines are quite heavy and fortunately I was able to accommodate the machine on my small manual forklift otherwise it would have been a back breaking resto. Also fabricated ramps for loading and unloading to forklift (forks not lower enough).
I purchased a vintage laundry cabinet in order to have some American oak timber for the resto. When dismantling the cabinet a ring and receipt ($A400 price) fell out from behind a panel. It now is one of the machine prizes!
I replaced a range of panels, best cleaned up finish where numerous nails had been inserted to the cabinet, sanded and then provided a Minwax golden oak stain with three coats of wipe on poly satin clear.
I removed the non-original motor board chassis which had been poorly wired and replaced with removable motor boards/s rewired and wax laced.
The board restores the original timer mechanism which controls the number of turns of the turntable (approx. 2) when the prize boom is not activated within two turns.
A number of tilt components were missing. The mechanism diverts any prizes direct to the cabinet when the machine has been lifted or bounced. I fabricated a reset lever on the boom mechanism and a tilt bob as well as a tray to ensure any diverted prizes do not land on the operating mechanism.
From the bolt holes and pics of earlier Esco machines I was able to fabricate a coin funnel, coin bin receptacle and bin and added a bulb over the coin integrity window and a play counter.
I built a sound module using an mp3 trigger and micro sd card, controlled when the machine is operating, with a track Palisades Park by Freddy Cannon from 1962. I think it gives a nice touch and sense of history to the machine.
Added new green felt to the turntable, replaced all the glass mouldings and generally rejuvenated the machine. It now works fine.
Final pics:
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Leawood, KS
