My unmolested Fathom has red buttons like yours except the button part and the housing are the same color red - not the dark red your buttons are. I don't think they are currently reproduced as exact copies. The repops have a textured finish while the originals were smooth.

If going back to the older design seems like a night and day improvement, then that only means your linears weren't functioning properly.

The linears have a smoother action due to the linear actuator being fully supported at both ends. Still it is not a night and day difference.

The linear slingshots are smoother than the old style too.

If you see a major improvement, it's because your linears weren't working correctly.

That's definitely worth it for one of the most sought-after Bally SS pins ever produced. Especially with the new playfield and plastics which could cost $1500 by themselves.

I see the back of the cabinet (particle board part) is damaged. Mine was like that too and it isn't too uncommon. It is usually caused by storage. It's an easy thing to replace during the restoration. I usually replace it with plywood (like Bally should have used).

If I didn't already have one of these I'd jump all over this one. You simply do not see these machines for sale very often and they are only going to increase in value.

From my experience when you see big chunks missing from the particle board backs there are usually some signs of water damage too which has weakened it. It's hard to tell from his photo but it usually comes from storing the machine standing upright directly on a floor that got wet. That's why it is advisable to store pinball machines on pallets or something that raises them off the floor some so moisture doesn't degrade the particle board.

Of course if someone was to get real animalistic I guess they could knock chunks out like his pics show but more times than not the particle board has been weakened by exposure to some moisture at one time or another. My Fathom was just like this one but you could tell it had been wet at one time or another. The rest of the cabinet was nice.

The fix is to replace the particle board with plywood like the rest of the cabinet has. Since the back is just painted blue it's something you can do without having to repaint the entire cabinet if you don't want to.

Yeah the rest of my cabinet is super-nice. It's just the back that was rotted-out and crumbling.

That could be the case but usually games that have been abused like that are total beaters and show damage in other areas too. I doubt that is the case with this one but I would have to see better close-ups of the back to tell.

I have seen the backs rotted out on a lot of these Ballys from the 70s and 80s. Once they get wet they become real weak and just crumble.

That's why it's best to just replace the entire particle board panel if it looks like this one. It's the weakest link in these cabinets.

I have a nice original backglass in my machine but bought a CPR one too just to have. I don't think it's that bad. Definitely better than a peeling original or nothing at all.

The CPR ones didn't cost $600. I think I paid close to $400.