After 100 hours of the usual service on a Williams Grand Prix project I turned to the playfield. The paint was still good but 50+ plus inserts were concave, it seems weird the wear wasn't worse than it was into the paint and wood (shrinkage?).
A perfect candidate for a playfield protector from Bay Area Amusements, the thick older style. Knowing this I only used vacuum/ Novis 2 then 1 to clean it up as I didn't want potential outgassing from solvents or water. Really pleased with the results.IMG_1903 (resized).JPGIMG_1901 (resized).JPG

The protector arrived flat and well packaged. I layed it out on the glass of another machine to wait while doing service.
Installation couldn't have been easier with the game already down. Removing the protective film and seeing the results was instant happy, looked great! ( To be continued)

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After 30 or so initial test games while fine tuning everything I must couldn't be more pleased with a pinball parts purchase! Plays fast, smooth and quiet, much like an SS. Now don't have to worry about wear till a proper restoration/clear coat if I decide to keep it. The Gottlieb chime unit sounds great when the spinners are ripped and no craters for the ball to hop over.
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If I spent 9000 dollars on a new Pin and a protector was available for it you bet it would be the first order of business, just think, no dimples. Some people seem to wax these things, I think a mild plastic polish like Novis 1 would be better. Yes, small plastic dust particles migrated under it in places and looked huge after flattening out, but "Strategic vacuuming" fixed that.
A little pricey at 140 bucks but a big bang for your buck in my opinion.

(Quote) I'm guessing you will decide to keep it, it's the best EM ever made (IMHO). Thanks for the write up, it's a very interesting option.

I have read similar comments but the jury is still out for me. The spinners are fun but Williams seems to have had a problem with players holding a ball to line up a shot. The short wire lane guides on this one prevent it and many more like Space Mission and Merry Widow have the ball shooters.

What is a Grand Prix worth in your neck of the woods? I never see them for sale in NC.

I believe the "Lint" occurs when the protective vinyl is removed from the back, creating static cling and sucking minute particles from where they cut the holes. All of the pictures of this phenomena look the same, flattened out white stuff.
The stuff on mine is invisible until the playfield lights come on. Annoying, still studying a solution, other than installing it in negative air pressure clean room.
Right now I would lean on buying one under the following conditions;
Is one available for my machine? An uncut sheet is less than 30 bucks if you feel like cutting one (may try it).
Just clearcoated and restored
Decent restorable paint you don't want to get worse until you restore it, or preserve it till you sell.
In my case, it was to level 50 cupped inserts, fast, so I could play it and do everything else it needed.
For that alone it was worth the money. Adding a high gloss surface was a plus.
Now, back to the "Lint Syndrome".

I love the loud sound of a clear coated em, same with a waxed one. The protector makes play very quiet.
As far as ball speed, I think its a little faster with the protector, but SEEMS faster on a clear coated playfield. That's the thing, once you try one you wonder why you went to all the trouble to restore a field just so you can scratch it up again.

On Abra consider fixing the insert issue. At least its not 50 of the buggers. I still cannot figure out how the inserts are so cupped but no ball trail/extreme wear between them.

As I understand it the earlier protectors are thicker and shipped flat, but the Company went with a newer material that is thinner and ships rolled up. Do a search for "Playfield protector" here, good reading.