Lit ramp looks good!

My Firepower is missing the knocker assembly. I have had the parts to replace it for two years.

My biggest procrastination?

Getting married......

I’ll tell ya later....

Whirlwind.

Rewind to 1999. I’m in the Boy Scouts, and my dad and I are at some lakeside campground. It’s a super hot day, everyone’s having a nice time swimming, but lakes aren’t my scene. Something gross touches my foot, and that’s it for me.

I explore the campground a little, and find one of those metal sheds. Door is open, and inside there’s a gumball machine, a super worn out ping pong table, and a Whirlwind. I played that game to death, and begged my dad for so many quarters. In hindsight, I think it was because the fan felt amazing on that torrid day, but I also loved the music.

Later in high school was when I started getting into Pinball. I worked at an amusement park and used the money to buy old EM games, but I always had my eye on a Whirlwind—even though affording one at the time was literally impossible.

Finally, in 2015 at the Whiterose Gameroom Show, I found a Whirlwind. It was beatup and shut off on the show floor. I called the guy, and bought it for a great deal. I had been working full time after college and pulled the trigger on it.

I swore I’d fully restore it. I bought a better used playfield and sent the playfield out to neo for a restore, I collected all the parts I needed, and it’s still been sitting. I keep telling myself that I’ll get to it, but I absolutely love playing the game in all of its beat up glory.

I’ll get to it eventually, but procrastination is a powerful state of mind.

Finally came in, ordered in 2015.

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Are we talking about our someday lists? The barn and shop are full of things on that list.

I'll come back after awhile and tell you about some of them. . .

I bought a Gottlieb Outer Space the backglass needed replacing and other parts to but it was playable. I played it for about 1 year when I found another one with really good playfield, but the pop bumpers were dry rotted and rubbers missing or cracked. But a great backglass. The cabinet looked a little abused. So I got right to work to make one good looking and working pin. 3 months later job complete. I'll take picture and post later. Now I have the idea of makeing a one off (custom pin). Sanded the old worn out Outer Space playfield. Put the custom paint job on playfield. Worked on what each target and rollover what it would be called. Then I got busy with other things and that's been 3-1/2 to 4 years now. I did look at it about a week ago as I pasted by to get some LED light for another pin. I may start on it again soon. (2 years) I'm lucky I didn't put this posting off.

In my MM coin box I found last year that I have bought twice (and not at the same time but probably a year apart) electronic parts to make a mod for.. I think they're almost 10 years in there now. Even forgot what mod I was going to make, remembered only much later (light all catapult items when a ball gets ejected)

My Bally Bumper is waiting for restoration for about 7 years now. It's just a long delayed process.
Stripped the playfield 5 years ago. Then didn't proceed when I couldn't find the parts anymore. Found them a year later in my tumbler. Forgot about that again.
A year or 3 ago wanted to continue and again didn't find the parts but remembered they were somewhere in a special place.
A few months ago I found back the metal parts in my tumbler. Last month finally brought the broken lockdown bar to a woodworking guy to have it remade. Once that is back I have all parts to start the restore.

Those are the 2 main I can remember. I'm sure when I look in the coin boxes of my machines I'll find more items I bought with the intention to do someday..
like a spare SC ropelight is waiting 2 years for installation..

Here you go ...

I bought my Banzai Run in either 2007 or 2008. Can’t pinpoint it exactly but it was somewhere around there. I remember it was well before we moved house in 2009.

Banzai Run was my grail game back then. When me and Fiona started dating in 1990 we used to go to an arcade in the city and play BR, DE Monday night Football and Funhouse.

Turns out this Banzai Run is 90% the one we used to play! I met the old owner/operator and he thinks it is the one.

This machine had been in storage for years before I bought it. I didn’t want to take on the restore back in 2007/2008 because I didn’t think I had the skills to restore it nicely. It’s sat in my shed ever since.

A month ago, I pulled it out ... and today it fired up for the first time in probably 15-20 years.

It’s not quite finished .. but it’s almost there.

The last of my complete System 11 collection to run! Today ... all 30 are working.

Before:

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10 years later ...

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rd

Here is my story:

About 2010, I bought a beat down water damaged Addams Family. I then slowly started collecting parts for it including a clearcoated playfield, etc..

I had the playfield swapped about 2011 and a brand new cabinet created the same year.

About 2017 I decided to have someone finish the project for me with all the new chrome parts, playfield swap that was already done for 5-6 years, etc.. done.

Should be done this year and it will look like new and will be a game I never sell unless I have some major issues which cause me to do it!! This thing is chromed out and will look like new!!!

The list is endless. I’ve been restoring my High Speed for like 5 years. I’ve actually restored 3 games since I started it!

Other things... I have owned a Pinball Champ 82 with no backglass for over four years. I shopped the game 4 years ago and now it just sits. Oh well.

Fathom. Have every new part ever made for the game. Just have to get started on it.

Started on a Nugent last week. That’s coming along quickly. Should be done in a month or so.

At one point I had more projects than working games. Thank Jesus that I only have the projects above at the moment. Everything else I own is set up less a fully working Space Shuttle and Fireball.