Here's eight photos of my utilitarian basement gameroom. It's populated largely by EM pinballs and EM arcade games. Other occupants include six prewar pinball machines and a few trade stimulators.

I've got a section dedicated to an elaborate HO slot car track and slot car collection and a workshop area down there as well (not pictured). However, I plan to consolidate that wing to make room for two EM pinball machines which are temporarily stationed upstairs (in violation of my agreement with my sweet wife).

In the future, I plan to hang some art on the cinder block walls and improve the lighting. There's nothing fancy here. . .exposed ceiling, fluorescent light fixtures, and a hodgepodge of throw-rugs on a cement floor. Two good things, though---the ceiling is extra high for a suburban basement and the staircase is free of angles.

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I seriously need to sell some of my HO slot car collection. This is a representative example of the "runners" and the collectibles. Atlas and Aurora dominate the collection. Not pictured are some cool AJ's brass chassis HO cars, Tycos and a Gilbert James Bond Race set (O-gauge).

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Good eye, Ron. Indeed, the Southland Engineering Speedway arcade game utilizes modified Strombecker slot cars (1/24th scale). Slot cars in an EM arcade in a pinball cabinet. . .my nirvana. . .just bury me in the thing when I die, okay?

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I think that 1/32 is the correct scale, as you indicate. I'll have to measure them to confirm. They have the capacity to reach fairly high speeds.

Marantz 4300 quad receiver/tuner. . .100 watts per channel. Marantz 6350Q turntable. Vintage Panasonic scope. Classic Tandberg cassette deck. Energy RC10 speakers.

The distinctive enveloping warmth of the sound produced by the vintage 1970s Marantz audio equipment fits well with the EM games, especially the classic Gottlieb chime. When I'm in my gameroom, I am transported back to my youth. Tomorrow, I turn 57.

Some of you may know collector, John Torrence, in California. John has a spectacular collection of vintage EM arcade games. No need to wait for me to post a video of my 1963 Southland Engineering Speedway. John already has a videoclip on youtube of his Speedway, as follows:

As a historical reference, Speedway was preceded by Southland's somewhat similar arcade game entitled: Time Trials. I have a friend with a Time Trials. His game lacks a panel of important controls which enable the modulation of each car's acceleration. Evidently, Southland improved upon the design of Time Trials by adding those controls to Speedway.

In both games, the accuracy of the player's steering, in mimicking the turns and stretch of straight roadway, is rewarded by adding power and speed to the player's car. If the player fails in this regard, his/her car will remain slow or stationary, until the steering wheel's orientation matches the topography of the road upon which the car sits. Speedway can be played as a single player game, competing against the game (as in the video), or as a dual head-to-head race against the other player. The whoosh sound of the cars, whizzing around the track, is evocative of those memories in the slot car hobby.

The objective of my line-up is to have a diverse variety of games (e.g. pitch & bat, basketball, bowling, motocross, steeplechase, shooter game) from each era. I have a recently restored 1958 Chicago Coin Criss-Cross Hockey upstairs. Criss-Cross Hockey reminds me of Speedway inasmuch as it's a mannequin hockey arcade game housed in a pinball cabinet.

Finding a slot car arcade game for my collection was difficult and it required the trade of a great game to acquire it. There are a couple of other vintage slot car arcade games, made by other manufacturers. However, those other games, like AMF's (American Machine and Foundry Company's) Little Indy and American Indy are far less fun and considerably less attractive than Speedway.

Howdy partner. Listen and listen tight. Don't make a move, or I'll shoot 'ya full of holes. Sega Gun Fight is a game that causes players to reflexively laugh and smile. When a gunshot lands on a player's puppet, the mannequin gunfighter collapses and is momentarily disabled. There is nothing like that effect in all of arcade history, to my knowledge. It's a laugh-out-loud riot from start to finish, every game. Players also score by shooting and collapsing the cactus plant tops. The game requires 2 players (no single player mode). The gameplay remains fresh and most collectors seem to hold onto them. It's hard to find Sega Gun Fight with good aesthetics and in good working condition. I had to buy 2 of them to make 1 really good one; but, it was well worth the investment of time and money. There are a few YouTube videos demonstrating the gameplay.

That slot car track is the famous Blue King design. When I was age 11 to 13, I raced my slot cars at a local Blue King track in Woodbury, New Jersey. There was an even larger slot car track in Westmont, New Jersey. I remember traveling to Connecticut and to Reading, PA to compete in regional northeast races, during the height of slot car racing popularity (i.e. 1970 to 1972).

The HO scale slot cars were what most kids had at home. The larger scale slot cars, as shown in your video clip, attracted mostly male adults. There were only a handful of suburban preteens, dedicated to save their money to participate in the expensive slot car hobby (apart from the few kids from wealthy households who always had the latest heat sink on their controller).

Most of the guys in the hobby, racing at public venues, when I was a kid, were retired engineers who loved to tweak their cars to enhance performance. The other group of slot car hobbyists were "hippies with talent." These were guys, in their early twenties, who could create innovative components, e.g. custom-wound armature, brass chassis, psychedelic air-brushed Lexan bodies. I remember being somewhat shocked, at the age of about 12, at a Connecticut tournament, seeing many of my slot car guru heroes smoking pot all day, in between races. Those guys would be in their late sixties now. I wonder if any of them are Pinsiders?

I failed to answer your question in my last post. Slot cars have enjoyed a resurgence in the last few years. Operators have actually opened commercial slot car race tracks here and there, just like the one in the video you posted, in the USA and elsewhere. The old-fashioned 1/32 scale and 1/24 scale slot cars are the rage, the ones which we raced as kids.

As for the small HO (1/64 scale, as I recall) slot cars (e.g. Aurora, Atlas, AJ's, Cobrajet, Tyco, Lifelike, Marusan, Autoworld), collectors have been snapping up those cars for years. If you look at Craigslist ads, you will likely find collectors seeking to buy HO slot car collections. This is because some of the cars are worth tremendous sums in the collector markets worldwide. In fact, some of the original packaging paper inserts to the Lexan Thunderjet (TJET) boxes (e.g. Batmobile, Green Hornet) can themselves fetch $100! That's for a 2 inch sliver of paper. Some of the rare HO cars (typically a rare color combination Aurora TJET or AFX or Atlas car) sell for several hundred and some fetch in the thousands. Even the TJET and Atlas chassis, that sold for a nickel at the local garage sale in 1985, regularly sells today on eBay for $10+.

Nevertheless, for someone who wants to simply set up a fun HO track, complete sets with cars are available on eBay for under $100. For example, Autoworld produces newly manufactured HO cars. In post #6572, the bright orange AFX display case contains some Autoworld cars, including a white Batmobile.

For years, two of my too many hobbies have included pinball/arcade and slot cars. The former are heavy and sturdy whereas the latter are light and delicate. Nevertheless, I think that people like vintage pinball and slot cars for similar reasons. Both appeal to the mechanical sensibility and both possess the element of speed and competition. Also, both hobbies are entrenched in nostalgic Americana (although the HO slot car originated in the UK, as I recall).

Each car has a pin fastener underneath the drop arm area, where the braided contacts are energized, as well as under the rear to prevent the car from becoming dislodged from the slot. The cars do not fishtail, as a result, even at high speeds.

It's all about getting into a driving groove for 20 laps. Just when you think that you're in that groove, and ahead by a lap or two, if you falter, your opponent can overtake you and win. The most fun is when the lead changes throughout the race.

The skill involved is difficult to master. I've played the game a lot and still find it very challenging.

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The Rockola Jigsaw on the left of Army & Navy is an early version whereas the Jigsaw on the far right is a later version. The gameplay is identical. As you may know, however, there are a dozen or so differences between the two versions (subtle playfield graphics, shooter rod plate, puzzle housing, coin slide, leg bolt holes and the coin box).

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Here's a few close-ups. Thanks for asking.

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Below are some HO cars (AJ's, Atlas, Aurora, Tyco and others). The legendary Aurora service station is elusive among HO collectors. Also, I've posted a few photos of my Gilbert James Bond 007 Race Set. It features the O-gauge scale slot cars, which are larger than the HO scale. Note the original white underside chassis on one car (original design), later changed to the more familiar Aurora pancake motor design. The original James Bond set box is shown in my post #6566 able (all the way in the back, 2nd photo, atop the coke machine).

Actually, I was planning to list this James Bond set and some other slot cars on eBay. If any Pinsider has an interest, feel free to send me a private message.

I've also posted a photo of my 1940s Daval Skill Thrill penny shooter trade stimulator. It wasn't shown in any of the other photos and I think that it's worthy of display. . .cool art deco WWII theme.

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Well conceived, inviting ambiance, great variety of games, total feng shui. . .my favorite among those posted thus far.

The similar dogs is what I like most. Clever.

My gameroom has evolved over the years. Back in the nineties, my simple basement featured bluish-green walls, carpeted load-bearing posts, a cheap sofa-bed and a cat named "Pastrami."

The first 5 photos, circa 1998, depict that long-gone gameroom.

As for my current, utilitarian gameroom (last 3 photos), I've crammed 40 games into it. My 15 year-old daughter makes Blue Note sing, while my tall niece takes a swing at Volley. But, one thing hasn't changed. The party doesn't officially begin until my 86 year-old mom fires-up Fireball Classic.

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Hey Tim. I know that your collection is also populated by miscellaneous coin-op machines. Two of the three coke machines have remained in my collection since 1985. The Vendo 39 is so nice that it passes the "main floor. . .wife approval" standard, as shown in two of the photos below.

When I started my career back then, this coke machine was in a remote spot in the basement of my office, a dilapidated 4-story building, in the heart of Camden, NJ. Based on service paperwork in the machine, it was last in service in the seventies. This Vendo 39 is the iconic early version, solid red, with an embossed rib running down the coin door to the front and a stamped coin entry plate. This machine spent its entire life in the building of that basement, which accounted for its remarkable original "time-capsule" condition.

I used to walk by it in search of old files stored in that basement. One day, I tracked down the owner and was able to buy it. This was years before Sharper Image began buying up these old Vendo 39, V-44 and V-81 machines, restoring them and selling them in their catalogues for as much as $7,500. In the years thereafter, coke machine restoration outfits became omnipresent and prices adjusted downward considerably. Regarding your Vendo 39 restoration, there's advice available about selecting the correct red paint, as you may know.

The other coke machine that I kept was the Cavalier CS-72. You can glimpse some of that coke machine next to the Sega Rifleman below. As you likely know, soda machine collectors like the illuminated "Have A Coke" lens on that model and the fact that it will vend 12 oz. and smaller bottles as well as many brands of soda cans simultaneously.

The third machine was a Cavalier C-51, Cavalier's counterpart to Vendo's 39 model. I gave the C-51 to a fellow pinball collector friend. There's also a small Tom's Candy machine (depicted below) which has remained in my various gamerooms over the years, from house to house.

Pinball, arcade games, bingos, soda machines, candy machines, trade stimulators (not shown). . .if you can drop a coin in it, we love it, right? About the only coin-op item that doesn't appeal to me are the Pachinko games, although I do find the history of Japanese pinball interesting.

My latest project is the Americoin Fire Chief arcade shown below, which propels actual water from a toy fire engine onto faux fire-blazing window targets. Among all of the games in my line-up, the most popular, for many years, continues to be 1972 Sega Monster Gun (nylon pellet shooter arcade with challenging physical targets and great sound effects) and 1954 Two Player Basketball (arcade), which are side-by-side in one of the photos below. I know that you share my high opinion of the Genco game inasmuch as it's also a hit in your collection.

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But, it's only April. Forward-thinking disposition.

Clever T-shirt projection screen effect toward the end of the clip.

It's been 2 years since I posted photos of my suburban New Jersey basement gameroom. Below are a few current photos. The room is still a purely utilitarian space: a hodgepodge of throw rugs, pedestrian florescent light fixtures and plain cinderblock walls. . .nothing fancy. The best feature is the extra high ceiling, which is needed to slide up the backbox doors on woodrails.

The line-up has changed since my last post on this thread. However, my collection remains primarily EM pinball and arcades, with several prewar pinballs and trade stimulators included for variety. Not pictured are a few of the prewar games, trade stimulators, coke machines, a Namco Rockin' Bowl-O-Rama videogame and a Sega Lunar Rescue EM arcade. A large HO scale slot car track is on the "disassemble list" to make room for more machines.

Recently, I found the vintage cigarette rack at an antique shop and had to have it. I enjoy seeing the creative gamerooms displayed on this thread, especially the ones that reflect the personality of the pinsider.

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Thank you. I admire the ingenuity of design in many of the purely mechanical and dry cell battery games. In my opinion, 1933, 1934 and 1935 were the 3 most significant years in pinball history.

The prewar game to which you refer is a 1935 Daval Chicago Express. Photo attached. A very good demonstration of the gameplay can be found on YouTube. The other railroad themed prewar in my collection is 1934 Bally Signal Junior, tucked in a corner, and pictured below. Currently on eBay, a seller in Maine has both a Bally Senior and Junior for sale, both in nice shape.

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Thanks pacman11. My CFTBL is long gone. But, a custom illuminated Creech topper remains atop my Joker Poker EM, as shown below.

I utilize the Creature stand-up to hide a bookcase full of pinball cleaning supplies. He doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he's happy living in my subterranean gameroom. He even has a serious girlfriend, Whoa Nellie's stand-up Melony. I have it on good authority that they met on the. . .you guessed it. . .on the. . .web. Sorry, couldn't resist.

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I have owned several bowling games over the years. Namco's 2006 Rockin' Bowl-O-Rama is my favorite. Gameplay replicates bowling better than other bowling games, especially in terms of ball spin, in my opinion. The music and graphics are great. Trick shot games and poker bowling as well. Cartoons taunt players for poor shots and dispense comical praise for good ones.

Up to 4 players can play. Laugh out loud fun and a permanent solid state game in my EM collection, which is a testament to how much I like the game.

My game is running on its original proprietary operating system.

I have a flash drive if the original system ever fails. I have heard that some of these flash drive alternatives are better than others. Also, they can require specialized skills to install and bypass the original operating system. Namco was very protective of its software back in 2006.

I suggest that you contact Ray Brackins of Wide Area Repair in PA. Ray has restored them and is well-versed on this topic. PM me for Ray's cell, if you wish.

Check out my "Vintage STEREO Club" thread. Lots of discwashers there!
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You're right, Colson. I probably should have kept that early sample TZ. I did, however, keep the miniature TZ, with its 3D playfield, created by a talented French artist.

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Apparently, I score 187,000,000 every single time. . .quite strange.

I finally found a place for Sega Lunar Rescue, next to the hot water heater tank. That tank is now intentionally obscured by a Tom's candy machine. When your gameroom is your unfinished basement, such are the challenges.

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Dudette, in this instance.

I like the chic color selection, minimalism and subdued lighting. Well done.

My gameroom has 2 games which feature a gangster theme: Kasco Untouchable and Bally Old Chicago (alternate cabinet art).

I need that gangster mannequin! ;>

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Actually, Kasco Untouchable is vintage 1971 (originally thought to be 1974). There's a paucity of information available about Kasco games. They are among the most sophisticated and coolest EM arcade games ever made.

Below are 2 video demos of my game, the first demonstrating overall gameplay and the second of which shows the gangster car close up. When a successful shot strikes the photoelectric cell on the rear of the gangster car, the green gangster momentarily collapses/ducks.

https://vimeo.com/181285498
https://vimeo.com/204726347

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I had this 20 x 10 Amish shed built in my yard, recently. My plan is to relocate my games from my basement gameroom. In the last few years, I downsized my line-up from 50+ games to a dozen. However, I'm back up to 21.

Meanwhile, the shed is serving as storage space. As the adage goes: best laid plans.

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