(Topic ID: 200273)

How do I move an original Fireball?

By Fezmid

6 years ago


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  • 16 posts
  • 11 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by Taxman
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#1 6 years ago

So I'll start this off with the fact that I've never even played an EM, let alone owned or moved one. (I've never actually moved a machine at all -- the only one I own was delivered to me). However a deal came by on an original Fireball, everyone says it's a classic game, and I'm trying to learn as much about pinball as I can, so I figured why not - worst case, I can just re-sell it. It's supposedly in great condition (pictures coming today).

I'll be picking it up next week, and in doing some research, I found that the heads on early machines don't fold down. So it sounds like I have to take the head off to transport it, but I'm not sure what I need for that. What tools should I bring? And is it as easy as just labeling all of the connections from the head into the body, taking a million pictures, and then disconnecting the wires and unscrewing/bolting the head? What other things should I be concerned about? How hard is it to get into the head?

My planned steps, and please correct me if I'm wrong or add new ones:

1) Remove backglass
2) Take pictures
3) Label connectors with electrical tape (or is there a better way?)
4) Take more pictures
5) Disconnect wires from the head.
6) Unscrew/unbolt/whatever the head and carefully put it in the vehicle (wrap with blankets)
7) Take legs off of body
8 ) Put legs in vehicle
9) Put blankets around body
10) Put body in the vehicle (pinball body, not a dead one in case NSA is watching ).

Then when I get home, I reverse the steps, excluding taking pictures.

Are there any specific gotchas with Fireball that I should be concerned about? Anything special to look for? Am I getting in way over my head? (I just soldered for the first time ever with help from LTG, so I'm REALLY new to this ).

Thanks all!

#2 6 years ago

Remove the balls before trying to move the game..otherwise they might smack into a plastic and break it. The connectors are different sizes and only go in one way. The connectors from the playfield go to the bottom board. The connectors from the bottom board go to the head. The head is connected to the body by 4 bolts.

#3 6 years ago

You have it down!

Just remember, Fireball is an EM. There are only three jones plugs that connect the wires from the body to the head.
They are each different sizes, so it's easy to fit them.

I would not separate the glass from the head. Bally has a great design and your glass is safe within the head.

You can even eliminate some headaches by keeping the wires attached in the head and folding the head onto the cabinet. Put some cardboard down to act as a buffer between the head and cabinet body.

Then use a ratchet strap to secure the head in place. If you have the room, this is a safe way to transport a Bally EM.

If you have to separate the head from the body, then your check list works too.

Congrats on your Fireball!

Marcus

#4 6 years ago

No need to remove backglass. The back side of the head comes off. There'll only be 3-4 connectors, all different sizes, easy to remove. 2-4 bolts, 1/2, 9/16, or 5/8. Put the back door back on, carry the head to vehicle. Take balls (3) out, along with anything else inside the body. Take legs off, pack into car.

#5 6 years ago

Id mark connectors with a sharpie. Drill with sharp bits also. Just in case you cant open the coin door.

#6 6 years ago

Awesome, thanks everyone! I didn't know you could get into the head from the back, I just assumed it was going to by like my T2 where I pull the translite off and then open a door to get to the stuff, so that's very helpful to know! I think I'll be putting the machine into the back of a crossover (Hyndai Santa Fe -- I hope it fits....), so I don't know that there's enough room to just fold the head down, but I'll look into that. Also good to know there's only 3-4 connections - I was picturing a lot more than that.

I knew to remove the balls, but it's a great reminder so thank you!

Can't wait to try it out next week.

#7 6 years ago
Quoted from Fezmid:

Awesome, thanks everyone! I didn't know you could get into the head from the back, I just assumed it was going to by like my T2 where I pull the translite off and then open a door to get to the stuff, so that's very helpful to know! I think I'll be putting the machine into the back of a crossover (Hyndai Santa Fe -- I hope it fits....), so I don't know that there's enough room to just fold the head down, but I'll look into that. Also good to know there's only 3-4 connections - I was picturing a lot more than that.
I knew to remove the balls, but it's a great reminder so thank you!
Can't wait to try it out next week.

All EMs I've heard of open from the back. All the mechanisms and score reels are mounted on the front, so having it hinged would put too much strain on it. On Fireball the backglass still lifts out the same way it does on T2, it's just that you only ever need to take it out if you want to replace bulbs.

You'll probably be fine putting the back box sideways near one of the passenger doors, and then sliding the body in next to it.

#8 6 years ago

My friend sent me some pictures of the machine and it turns out it's not the original Fireball like he said, but rather the Fireball Classic. That sucks. It's in great condition (the backglass doesn't look faded at all, which is rare from what I've read), but all of the preparation was for nothing since I'm not interested in the Classic. I was really looking forward to messing around with an EM. Oh well!

#9 6 years ago

This is kind of common when a "Fireball" is for sale without any reference photos. There are usually four Fireball models for sale in the pinball market. There's the original 1972 Fireball, the 1981 Fireball II, the 1985 Fireball Classic and the 1976 Fireball home model. If you don't know the history of the Fireball machine, then most likely when you go to sell one you'll just call it a "Fireball," no matter which version you have. It's happened to me a few times - I've ended up looking at a 1976 Fireball home model when I thought I was going to see a 1972 Fireball. Very disappointing, but I'm sure it's happened to a lot of pinball collectors over the years... The elusive 72 Fireball is a tough machine to catch...

#10 6 years ago
Quoted from fredsmythson:

It's happened to me a few times - I've ended up looking at a 1976 Fireball home model when I thought I was going to see a 1972 Fireball.

Since some people have *no* idea what you are talking about when you are trying to figure this out, probably the best thing to ask is if it has mechanical score reels. Only the original 72 version has these, and they are fairly easy to describe to a novice.

#11 6 years ago

Here's a photo of a Jones plug apart, incase you don't know what to look for. Be careful & try to pull the plug out evenly so you don't break it. One of the reasons you see so many EM's with cut wires is that these do not look like a plug to newbies.
jones plug (resized).jpgjones plug (resized).jpg

#12 6 years ago

It sounds like you are not going for it. But in case you do, protect your back glass. If you don't do like Xerico suggests by strapping the back box to the cab maybe due to space constraints, then get light piece of plywood, or some heavy cardboard, or something similar and cut it to fit to the front of the back box.

Get a box of saran wrap or similar plastic wrap at the grocery store and wrap the piece of plywood or cardboard to the front of the back box to protect the back glass.

#13 6 years ago

The Classic is preferred by many for its game play (including me). Still, good you are wanting an EM.

#14 6 years ago

Fireball Classic will not have the back door, jones plugs ... but you don't need to remove the head just fold it.

If you have the keys you will remove the backglass, open the light board and remove the bolts holding the head to the body.

You open the light board by sliding two brackets. If there are loose you may want to tighten or put a screw in the slot to prevent the light board from swining into the back of the backglass during transport. Those backglasses are rare and never have good red color (pink or orange fade is normal).

Careful - with the backbox door swung open and the bolts removed the weight wants to fold on you so hold tight when removing the last bolt (you luck if there is more than one or two of the four most times).

So, pull bolts, secure backglass, fold head and then strap head to body.

Put ass end up on a chair and remove back legs. Drop machine off chair and stand up then remove front legs. Move machine and reverse for setup.

FBC is still a great game. I had mine for many years. Fireball is great and Fireball 2 is has nice drops (nut no disk and should not be called Fireball). Fireball home should never be mentioned.

#15 6 years ago

The backglass on the Fireball Classic looks great from the picture they sent. If I weren't already breaking the bank on looking for a MET Premium, I might pull the trigger on this one, but alas, I don't have unlimited funds. Not sure how much they're going to sell it for, now that they know it's not the original, as I didn't ask.

Thanks for all the help though - it'll come in handy if I find an EM in the future that I want!!

IMG_4121_1508005929821 (resized).jpgIMG_4121_1508005929821 (resized).jpg

#16 6 years ago

That is actually faded but not horrible.

Look at the colors on the CRP reproduction of the original FB. The top edge of the flame is a big give away. The reds get orangey and the orange gets pinkish.

http://www.classicplayfields.com/fireballglass01.jpg

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