Before everyone just starts yelling "yes, yes, yes" hear me out and tell me why I should or shouldn't.

I bought this game off ebay about a month ago for a little over $350.00. Here's the listing.

ebay.com link: 1974 Gottlieb 034 Top Card 034 Single Player Wedgehead Pinball Machine

The playfield is really nice and the game appears complete. I have not gone through it yet. The cabinet is average. Its got the usual wear but the colors are still strong. I've managed to get most of the writing off the backbox but some of it was done with ball point pen so it's imprinted into the wood. The coin door has a bunch of pry marks so there's a hundred bucks if I want to replace it. The legs are ok and should shine up decent.

The back glass is really bad. Big sections of the art are gone. It was falling apart as I was taking it out of the box. I've Krylon'd what's left so check out the below pics. Since then I've started some paint work on the BG but it wasn't going very well. It's just a LOT to redo and I'm no artist. I can do some simple touch up but this is much more than that. I did some of the blue in the title letters and near the bottom left and it's serviceable. The problem is I have a long road ahead of me, especially in the top of the glass with the detail under the blimp.

I looked around for a repro, used or NOS BG for Top Card and, surprisingly, I couldn't find any of the big sites to have one. I emailed at least five of them. I contacted bgresto about two weeks ago and they got back to me tonight. Steve told me it would be $245.00 with shipping for a new Top Card BG. I've heard nothing but great things about this company so I'm not doubting the quality of the piece I'll receive. It's the investment I'm doubting. Now, like most of us, I never count my time when fixing a game. That would be crazy. However, I do count the parts.

Basically what I'm asking is "is it worth dropping $245.00 for a new BG for this game?" I know it's a semi popular Gottlieb wedgehead. I know it's a fast and fairly unique player and I'll be keeping it for a little while but I'm not well off enough to just sink money into a pin if I'm going to lose my butt on it when it comes time to sell.

Another way to put it is "what do you believe a working Top Card located in the northeastern U.S. to be worth with a new BG, nice playfield, average cabinet and a jacked up coin door?" Also, if I go the route of getting the BG, should I just pull the trigger on a repro coin door from Steve Young? That's over $700.00 before any other work is done.

Also, not that this really makes any difference, but, according to the guy I bought it from, this game once belonged to Williams programmer Duncan Brown.

Please, give me your thoughts.

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One of the places I contacted was in Canada. They had a Top Card listed on their site. The response I received was that they couldn't find the glass and that it wasn't in the place it should be. Not sure if that's the place you're talking about. I think I'm gonna hold off till I finish the game and play it for a while.

Though the game is going to have wait till spring for me to get to it, I ended up buying a really nice original from Mayfair at the York Show. It's still wrapped up in my den. $175.00 with just a little chipped paint at the edges which you don't see anyway.

Now I'm not sure what to do with the original. Thinking about just touching it up over the winter to frame it.

Bgresto wanted $245 and I had to send them my original. Guess cause they don't have it on file.

Regarding sealing does everybody still think "unless it's flaking, leave it alone" ??

I went by walking into the York Show, looking to the left and seeing Mayfair's giant booth of backglasses, spotting a Top Card for $195.00, asking the short guy that looks kinda like Gollum from Lord of the Rings (Steve?) if he can do any better. I was buying some other stuff and he said he could do $175.00. Deal made. No shipping. Wrapped up. Waiting to be installed. I gotta admit I think I was damn lucky he had one there. Not many wedge head BG's on the rack.

PS. Though I'm not new to the hobby, I haven't put all the dealer's faces to names yet. Regardless of the smart ass remark, the short guy was really nice. I'd give them my money again in a heart beat.

Ok. So no sealing it is. I kinda like Coin Taker's retro warm white LED's. I bought a bunch at the York Show when the deals are good. I think I'm gonna use them so heat will not be an issue. We'll see come the spring when I get to TC.

Found this photo of Todd Tucky and Steve. Obviously, an older photo.

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When I met him, he just kinda reminded me of this guy.

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But, yes, he was a nice guy and extremely knowledgeable. I needed a new drop target for my Liberty Bell and he knew right away what it was and that it was actually a Stern drop target that they used on there.