hi all, just an excited post here ...

watching the threads on the abra cadabras lately - that is another one I have been looking for

today I came across a post elsewhere mentioning one four provinces away ... a phone call and some pictures later and now I have purchased one of my own!

now I have to figure out shipping across Canada - but thrilled about this one

off to look to see if Pinball Rescue sells a partial plastics set - I just need to replace the little plastics down by the flippers

yippee

regards, Ron

thanks Muppet -

yes the backglass is classic '70s gottlieb - great colors AND can't wait to put a couple of 'flasher' bulbs behind the 'monster's' eyes too

extremely excited about this one

once I get it I will post some pics - don't want to jinx things!!

regards, Ron

thanks guys - yes really looking forward to this one!

Ron

cool Gov, yes until today I wasn't aware that there was an add a ball version in 'team one'

good luck!

ok here is a teaser ... I don't want to jinx it - waay too excited

I still have to figure out how to get it from Ontario to BC ....!!

It appears to be in very nice condition and he stated it was fully working and all proper, w no damage or holes common to the press board cabinet panels

he hadn't cleaned it since he acquired it, so I am hoping with some careful cleaning and waxing it can turn out really really nice

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thanks guys - yes I hope it is as nice as it appears - I think it is getting picked up today back east and then we will see how long shipping is before it arrives

have any of you out there with Abra's had a damaged back lower cabinet board? I've heard they are prone to breaking as they were out of cheaper chip board - I think this one has damage along the lower back edge on rear??

I may leave it, add some support bracket or some day replace the whole back cabinet panel .. but that may prove to be fairly involved??

regards, Ron

yes, I am excited like I used to be as a youngster waiting for Christmas ... it looks like I may have to wait however as the kind pinballers back east who volunteered to pick it up and ship couldn't get to it and now are going off on holidays - patience, patience ...!

here is the photo of the one I am waiting on .. I wasn't aware it had this issue, but since the rest is pretty nice, I can live with - perhaps I will restore the cabinet someday too

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thanks guys, yes I hope it is as nice as it appears - only issue I could see was a tiny 'rub' in the lower playfield where the end of one of the flippers must have come in contact with the unpainted wood - I don't think it is just in top coat / wax so likely won't buff out ... has anyone ever had success with some technique like spot clearing to improve on something like that??

here are a couple of close up pics - have not seen in person, so not sure how 'deep' it is - cameras often make stuff appear a bit worse w flash etc

you can see some dried up wax and debris there too! at any rate just happy to have located a nice abra!!

regards, Ron

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not sure why the 3000 insert is 'tilted'? if someone at factory put it in like that to add their mark .. or if they can twist over time?? I may just leave it 'as is' !

Ron

what I am wondering is if anyone has a technique for getting rid of small amount of flipper drag per the photo - do you spot clear with some laquer spray, just a bit in that area ??? or maybe try and wax and buff out a bit first?

hi guys, question - how do the gtb wedge serial numbers work?

if I recall, ipdb lists a production of less than 3000 abras ?? (maybe I misread)

is this the serial number on mine? and if so how is it read if it is over the production number??

- update on transport - I think my kind helpers were picking up the pin tonight .. so it may now have taken its first steps to coming west ward

backglass on order and plastics for down by the flippers too!!!

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ok, apparently my Abra is now in town at the shipping depot!! off to try and collect it shortly here this evening ... fingers crossed and will post an update later

regards, Ron

allright, it seems all good so far

firstly again a huge thanks to those of you back east who kindly went out of your way to help a west coast pin stranger get his Abra here - very very much appreciated!!!

and I must say that I was very impressed with Day & Ross shipping - Pin went out Thurs or Friday of last week and arrived approx. 4-5 days later - nice and speedy (and affordable too in my opinion)

pin was very well wrapped and palette by one of the pin Samaritans back east - I took a photo so I know how to do it well if/when the favor need be returned the other way

once at my place and set up I gave the Abra a good initial inspection - very much as described with no big surprises - that is always nice

when I loaded it into my car I peeked down the head box 'throat' into cabinet and noticed what appeared to be another 'transformer' mounted to the back of cabinet ... my guess is that someone along the way added a 'ground' plug set up ??? not sure what I am seeing here, but the original thin power cord is nicely bound and plugs into the side of this rear one, with a longer 3 prong cord coming out of it to power up .. all looks 'period' but curious??

insides look very nice and clean with no signs of modding or monkeying other than the above ... funny when I pulled off the playfield glass - then went to put it back, it would not fit - I noticed that it had a 'sag' in it and so if put in with 'crown' on top it wouldn't go under the metal guide at back!!

playfield is very very nice and will clean up wonderfully - the 'flipper burn' is hardly noticeable at all - it almost seems like a very fine coat of shellac or old wax of some type is covering the field - a couple of areas I test cleaned with novus and rubbing alcohol / magic eraser cleaned off this older 'coat' - I will carefully go across the whole playfield with a good clean, and on this one with several layers of good wax - in a few areas the paint appears to be close to 'rising' and I want to make sure I protect against that as best I can !! it really is beautiful though

my crooked 3000 insert was loose and rolling around playfield when I picked it up - so that will be an easy realignment too!

anyhow very very excited with this one - will post more as I clean it up and get it ready with some new plastics and back glass when they arrive as well

plugged in, it all seems to work properly (was very late so couldn't play a proper game or two) except the pop bumpers didn't seem to light up - will have to go to youtube to see what activates them to light up???

cheers, Ron

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thanks guys -

Darcy - not sure I will play it yet - am really going to take my time with this one and clean it up carefully / properly

will likely start with removing the flippers / plastics etc from top side and give it a good going over
(I may have to sneak a game or two in ... )

will also check if the pop bumpers are working, or more specifically why they didn't seem to be lighting up when I had a quick go last night ??

and still not sure what was on the playfield - if it was just old old wax or something else - it had a high sheen but seemed to have a bit of crackle to it??? whatever it was it protected the playfield very well - but as I cleaned up the dirt and grime I think it came off (safely) or cleaned up as well, so for consistency I will carefully clean the whole field then be sure to get several proper coats of wax on there too - at least that is the plan

serial number on head is different from cabinet, but that is fine by me

now can't wait for plastics and glass to arrive too

it really is a beauty and once cleaned will look fantastic

for now I will leave the cabinet repairs alone

oh, on yours - the two illuminated red 'lane guides' down by the flippers ... are they opaque red or very translucent red - mine are very translucent plastic .. almost 'red clear' - but I think the original would have had a more 'opaque' red or at least less see through??

cheers, Ron

HI Ghost, can you give a bit of a description on condition for yours?

thanks! Ron

thanks Darcy - I picked up two nos proper ones today as well - my machine had the very translucent red ones

just removing the pop bumpers here so I can begin the playfield clean and wax process

cheers, Ron

ok took it slow and easy and am really really pleased with my clean up on the Abra -
it really is a beautiful game! just a couple coats of mill wax for now, new rubbers and the lower lane guide red plastics - have some new coin insert plates and decals to go in yet and of course the lower plastics and backglass when they arrive too

adjusted all the posts to 'con' positions

this may just be one of the nicest playfields I have come across

now I need to figure out why my pop bumpers aren' t lighting up??

what triggers them to light on and off??

regards, Ron

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