But I made a deal to buy one today... and it's still exciting. Hooray!

Bally Corvette

It's a good 7 hours from me, if I didn't make any stops. Gonna have to figure out the logistics the first of the week.

I've been waiting on this particular Corvette to come on the market. The buddy who had it finally decided to sell it.

The eagle (well, Corvette!) has landed!

Perhaps some pics tomorrow. I already see a few things I want to change and make 'my own', but all in all, it's a very nice condition overall game!

Canfield, Ohio

I've spent some time in Iowa, used to spend a week in Knoxville for The Nationals!

Jim, half the Ohio collectors helped the game get to me. Mac to Pacak to Trent to Phoebe... I was supposed to get it from Phoebe yesterday, but something came up, so Bob Skinner delivered it to me on his way home. I have some AWESOME friends!

It's a work of art. I picked the playfield up in Bowling Green 3 years ago and delivered it to Mac. I found a guy parting out a corvette and got him in touch with Mac. I've been kinda obsessed with this game for awhile!

A few phone pics..

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Last phone pic..

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And, now, the 'story' of this pin, in a few thousand words or less

A little over 3 years ago, someone listed a wired NOS corvette playfield on eBay. I noticed it right away, and wanted it pretty bad. Unfortunately, I was in a position in life where I shouldn't be spending money on things that weren't necessities, my employer was going through a pretty massive layoff cycle, and I figured my number was about up.

The pics were horrid, and it wasn't listed correctly, going from memory. You really couldn't see anything, and it was a bit of a gamble - was it really new, or was it a used beat to death playfield? The one thing that seemed kind of odd was where it was listed - Bowling Green, KY, where the Corvette is manufactured.

I was talking to my friend Mac and mentioned the playfield to him. Mac ended up buying the playfield from the guy. At one point, it had a $500 buy-it-now, but it ended up selling for about double that price.

Mac lives 7 hours from me, and Bowling Green is 3 hours from me. The seller wouldn't ship the playfield, so it had to be picked up. I agreed to pick it up from him, as I was meeting him soon for him to take delivery of a couple games.

So, I took the family to Bowling Green. The seller's business was a speed shop of sorts, I went in the shop in back, and was surrounded by various vintage Corvettes, being restored, hopped up, etc. There were some other sports cars and a very nice RV in the shop. The seller told me that when Bally came to the opening of the Corvette Museum in the 90s, he bought a pinball from them, and bought a spare playfield. He had recently sold the game, and the buyer didn't want the playfield, so he put it on eBay.

The playfield was in a loft, dusty and dirty, but definitely looked NOS. I didn't see any ball tracks on it anywhere, and when I looked at the underside of it, I saw the red lamp boards. At this point, I realized it was something special - as if a NOS wired Corvette playfield wasn't something special in and of itself! LOL!

I felt a lot of regret for some time, as I love prototype and sample games. I've gone to great lengths to get them in the past, spend too much money or time to do so as well. Corvette is a game I like too, being a gearhead. But, it wasn't mine. I *did* make sure Mac knew that it was something I'd definitely be interested in, should he ever tire of it.

Mac's been a good friend for many years, one of the nicest, most generous guys I know. He has shared tips and techniques, and helped me out more times than I can remember. If it wasn't mine, there isn't a better home for it!

A month later, I saw a guy parting a Corvette on RGP, and I pounced on it within minutes. I sent him a note letting him know Mac needed a cabinet and boardset. I think at least 2 other people did the same The cabinet, boards, translite, speaker panel, etc were arranged and shipped to Mac.

Mac meticulously restored the playfield, putting the drop targets that were cost-reduced out of the game back, cleaning and polishing everything, etc.

He decided to sell it a few months ago, and I purchased it. It took me a couple months to get it home, but it's here now. Several friends in Ohio agreed to help me out, getting it closer to me as Canfield is a LONG drive for me, and I just don't have the free time to drive all the way there and back right now.

My plans for it? Change just a few little things to 'make it mine', and keep it forever

It needs black legs and bolts, and one leg plate is stripped.
It has pretty good sound, but needs upgraded speakers. I'm going to use the standard set I use in DCS games, a Dayton woofer and some Pyle 5-1/4s in the speaker panel
I'm going to reinstall the shifter that was cost-reduced out as well. I've been studying this for some time, and have determined what I'm going to need. I'm talking to a couple fabricators to make the housing the shifter goes in to factory specs.
If I could find an original set of backbox decals (there are some out there), I might redecal the backbox, as one side has some damage to it.
The drop targets need decals. I have the art file, and can print up a set.
It has the wrong coin door on it for Corvette, as well as an incorrect shooter. It should have a black 'ball' shooter rod on it. I'll change them both out.

George Gomez has exchanged a number of messages with me about the game. He confirmed this is 1 of 17 playfields made with this artwork design. The decal on the racetrack is 1 of 17, the Chevy dealership mentioned on the side of the racetrack was the dealership George bought his Corvette from, and that was not allowed on production games. There are numerous small playfield artwork differences, required by Chevy during the production of the game.

The playfield is basically mint, and the cabinet is kinda rough. So is life!