*PLEASE CHECK MY LAST POST ON THIS THREAD. NEED HELP WITH A FEW PIECES*

I've been reading up on a lot of project topics lately and decided to add my own. I've taken over 100 references shots and will try to update this thread as a move along and build a repository for the shots. I've done quite a bit of work already and I am in the process of rebuilding slowly.

I'd like to give a big shout out to vid1900, LTG, and Bryan_Kelly for there respective threads on restoration jobs. With that said, I am not at their level and fully respect the quality of the jobs / advice / expertise that they deliver. This is just one guy, enjoying the hobby and trying to make my games look as nice as possible. I will through the course of this thread reference to other threads that have helped me out.

So I picked up this game last year, in the fall, early winter. I wasn't really expecting to tear it down but the "supposively" "fully working game" was far from working. It had the common faults like the slam ramp wear and some flaking cabinet decals but overall it was a very solid game.

Upon seeing some of the things I had to do I just decided that I was going to try and fix the slamp ramp wear by using Vid1900's paint touch up thread instructions: http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration

Before & after results
before-after.jpg

After seeing how good the results were with Vid1900's instructions I started reading on cabinet decal repair and found Bryan Kelly's thread http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ij-restoration-started

I went through the excruciating task of dismantling all the cabinet parts. I figured since the playfield was completly stripped I guess I could just keep moving forward and get the cabinet up to par.

The cabinet was not so bad it had a few dings here and there but the backbox was really bad.
cab-before.jpg
cabinet-prep.jpg
cabinet.jpg
cab-head.jpg
cab-head-after.jpg

I will post later on some other things that were done.

Here is a shot of under the cab. I sanded half just to show how much it had yellowed and was filthy. You won't belive what the inside looked like.
cab-under.jpg

Same thing applied for the playfield. After clearcoating the front I couldn't leave the back has it was. So I removed all the T-nuts and sanded the entire thing down.

before-playfield-back.jpg
after-playfield-back.jpg

For the playfield clearcoat I followed the instructions on youtube of this guy:
***note added**** make sure you wear proper respiratory mask, goggles and make sure the area is properly ventilated. The fumes coming from this stuff are highly toxic!!!!!

(it's a 6 part video series) and was invualuable to the success of my project. I ran into some hiccups along the way and had started a different thread about the subject.

End result:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/m2BJ40u4tf0?autoplay=1&rel=0

Other thread:
http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/i-think-i-just-ruined-my-clearcoat

No doubt about that. I wore a proper Mask, coveralls, and safety goggles to do my spraying. I'll post a picture...I looked more like a nuclear expert than anything. Even then...next time I'm getting a full face mask with a air feeding pump.

http://www.turbineproducts.com/servlet/Detail?no=1

_{Post edited by flashinstinct: adding url reference}

Ok so after helping a few people out, I'm back to assembling this thing. As promised, a shot of me looking like a dumbass. Tonight, is installing the "wire harness night" with a few pics of the inside of the cabinet.

dumbass.jpg
The crud on the metal was disgusting
IMG_9532-web.jpg
Nice and shinny
IMG_9589-web.jpg

Finally back on this on and off it will have taken me the greater part of a year to finish. I've got two questions

#1 in the picture below you have a spring on top of the long armature (arm). Just wondering how you make it fit when you slide the gofer down. Do you just slide the spring in the gap (I marked it yellow) or does it go somewhere else
IMG_9809-mech.jpg

#2 I looked through my reference photos and can't find what goes on this screw
what-goes-there.jpg

And last but not least. Progress. I've buffed every single piece of metal on this monster. Minus the finger prints that I will have to wipe off some of these pieces (like the gofer wheel motor) I could shave by looking at it. It's almost like a mirror finish

shiny-metal.jpg

Bump . I would really like to get these few things fixed up.

Thanks. Piece installed. Now hopefully you can find that video

Thank tilt-master. One Gopher mech ready to be installed...with brand new gopher

clean-gofer-mech.jpg