Are they close enough to running to hire a tech to come out and fix them? I started this way also and quickly found out I was in over my head. I have since grown my collection and learned alot. I ended up trading my first game to a pinball tech for some work on my other games and a small amount of cash. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I started in this hobby buying cheap arcade games and fixing them up. Fast Forward 7 years, and I now hate working on games. I just pay the extra money to get one that is already working. There is still more work on those than I really want to do, but it is a few minutes/hours instead of days/weeks.

When I realized that I didn't want to work on the games, I dumped all of my project games. I have enjoyed the hobby a lot more since then. Some people enjoy working on games more than playing. If you are not one of them, I would say sell them off to get a working one that you can play.

Tell us about their condition... what's wrong with them?

I bought a fully-working machine to start, so we could enjoy it and decide where to go from there. I've since added a project that is now mostly completed, and another fully working machine. I've now got my eyes open for another semi-project machine, but wouldn't balk at a working Pin at the right price.

Keep your options open, but having a working Pin as your foundation sounds like a good start. Luck!

Best to start with a working pin IMO.

I repair plenty of games for OPs that certainly could fix them themselves.

It is not worth their time, and I can diagnose and fix them faster than they can.

Just like going to get your oil changed, there is no shame in not wanting to do it yourself.

Like you I am fairly new to the hobby and a buddy of mine told me from day one "buy a pin that works then you can learn to fix it as problems arise" I got a deal on older Bally that hadn't seen power in a decade and wow was I in over my head. Long story short I now have two pins that I bought working and I just address stuff as it comes and to be honest it is a lot less stress full. I now have a baseline to work off of so I know if my work is improving the way the game plays or not. If you have never seen a particular game run your kinda taking a shot in the dark sometimes on setup. It's also a lot more fun to play a game then just work on it all the time. If it were me id keep fire and sell the joker. At least you know the fire was working and might not have quiet as much to tackle. In short though for us beginners start with one that's working then work your way into it. System 11's are awesome pins

Fixing stuff is fun but when it starts piling up it can wear you down big time.
Best to have a great working game and learn things over time instead of conquoring the system 11 world

Make some friend in your area and get some practical experience fixing games

Don't give up

Did you buy the video, "this old pinball". They have one for just System 11. Might help you out. I watched those when I bought my first game. It was working, but there were things I had to work and tweek and helped me understand how the whole thing works. Since you have 2 system 11's, that makes things way easier. Because you can swap boards around between the 2 games. You should be able to get one game up and running that way. Once you have one working 100%, then you can help troubleshoot the other game, once you have a working boardset together. Will drastically help speed up and focus on where the problems lay.

Totally agree and great videos.

http://www.pinrepair.com/top/

I've learned a lot in the 7 months I've been doing this. One of the things I have learned is that I would rather have a working game than a non-working game. Sounds obvious and even though I have had some fun from working on my one project pin (HS) I simply have more fun playing. I watch Gecko's restore threat on the Pin*Bot and I cannot imagine myself taking on a project like that. So, I just picked up a very nice TZ and WOZ to add to the collection. As such, the HS is for sale. It's not that I don't like it. I just don't want to do anything more to it and I need the space.

OP, I don't know you, but it sounds to me like 1 working pin > 2 non-working pins.

Good luck on your decision.

Darin

btw, System 11 has 3 different versions of boards. theres A, B and C boards. SOmeone else might be able to confirm if Fire and Jokerz are the same revision. I'm not sure. As I have owned both. I never had to try and swap boards between the 2 and own them at different times.

ONE - and one only - non working game at a time...that's my vote. Good to have some incentive in learning how to fix, buy replacements parts, discuss repairs, etc... But having several non working pins at a time can be depressing!

Just my (incompetent) opinion...

I feel for you. Project pinball machines are a living nightmare if you don't have a decent understanding of electrics/electronics.
I personally love bringing dead machines back to life and probably get more of a kick out of it than playing these days. But then mechanical/electrical engineering is my job so it isn't much of a problem to me.
It is also a way of trading up if you can swap a fully working, nice condition machine for a better game that needs some TLC. I recently traded my nice Dirty Harry for a Williams Indiana Jones with multiple problems. The left flipper was knackered, the Path Of Adventure wasn't working and the GI was awful. I have fixed the flipper, the POA and rewired the GI back to factory (operator bodge work) with new connectors on the board and new push-on connectors. It also needed new leg plates.
Just shopping it now so it should be all back together this week.

Back on topic.

I think the best bet would be to trade both machines against a working, slightly better System 11 game. I should think you will be able to get something like a Pinbot or Comet for them.

Good luck.