So, my frustration with the XMen code has me seriously considering dropping some coin on getting a classic game a high end restore and fully blinged out with chrome and enhanced speakers and LEDs and what not. I'm thinking Gorgar or possibly Paragon. Not 100% certain yet, but I want it to be a 10 out of 10 restore job with clear coat even on the cabinet.

What is the oldest game you guys sent off to HEP or Keller or one of the other super high end elite restore guys? Were you pleased with the job?

Any recommendations on the older game I should pick? Something with a fantasy theme and top notch artwork for sure. Solid state also. Thanks.

Atlantis would probably be about as new of a game as I would consider. Flash Gordon may be a decent candidate to...but I think Gorgar is the best looking of the group. Anyway, interestedvto snag some feedback.

Also, recommendations on respected elite restorers are welcome. HEP isn't taking any more machines this year. Keller is the only other uber elite restorer I can think of off hand. Thanks.

Yep, I wouldn't plan on this being an investment of any kind. Just something cool and unique for my collection. I know if I spend 5-6k or whatever on a Paragon, Gorgar, or Jungle Lord I won't be getting that money out of it ever.

Nice looking game. I'm sure you've had fun with it. Not quite the art package for me though.

Bump for the afternoon crowd. Really interested to hear what some of you think on this point. Thanks.

Wow! Star Gazer is gorgeous. Never seen that game before. How does it play? Is the backglass mirrored or is it a translight?

Hmm, I'd never heard of Algar either. Rarer game. Probably much more expensive to get into one that would be a good candidate for the high end restore. Also, I'm not sold on that artwork either, which is funny given the time period it came out (most of the art packages then were great).

Those are gorgeous restores. Who did them?

Who all do people recommend for the insane high end restore with full blinging out of an older game? Anyone other than HEP or Keller?

Couldn't go wrong with a Black Hole. My thought process of having a high end restore done on an older machine was actually generated from this BADASS Black Hole (this has to be the nicest one in existence):

I've pretty much talked myself in to doing this with an older machine. I was going to snag an AC/DC Premium but the truth is I'd rather diversify my collection more and get a late 70's / early 80's game in unique high end condition and blinged to the brim (the XMen code issue helped me make this decision too).

Gorgar is a big draw to me. I don't find it creepy; rather, I find the mirrored backglass stunning and I think the heart beat sound with some souped up speakers would be breath taking. Paragon on the whole has better artwork I think, but I've never actually played it so don't know if it would be as much fun as Gorgar.

Anyway, I guess I will probably think on this for the next week or so. The more feedback I get the better . . . particularly if people have referals of who I should use to source the machine and do the restore / bling out. Thanks.

I have not. You are right. It is an eye popper for certain! That would make a great show piece. Looks like the coin door is spray painted though?

Thanks for the thoughtful response Rob; that was a very helpful post for me and I went through The Pinball Compendium Volume II and Volume III three this evening (thanks to PinballHelp for suggesting I get that trilogy of books) and did put together a list as you suggested.

I think I will pick from among the following:

Paragon
Gorgar
Black Knight (1980)
Xenon
Flash Gordon
Centaur
Black Hole
Catacomb
Strange Science (87)
Dungeons & Dragons (87)

Both Strange Science and D&D were a little newer then I had in mind but I've always wanted a D&D and Strange Science certainly meets the artwork. Ultimately, since I am really looking to bling this sucker out as much a high end restorer is able/willing to do, I think that will likely eliminate Flash Gordon and Dungeons & Dragons from the list as it is harder to see how the bling on those two would work.

A mirrored backglass is also an absolute must so if any of the above titles I listed do not have one let me know and it is out of consideration (I want this backglass to freaking pop!). Good base sounds are also important (that is really why Gorgar is so high, that heart beat of Gorgar is awesome to hear).

I think you are right Rob in what I need to do is talk to some restorers. I had hoped to get a few more references in this thread than I have so far. Since HEP is not taking on any more projects this year the only other high end restorer I can think of is Keller. I will give him a call late next week; I see from his website he also sources the games so that is extremely conveinant. I was going to buy AC/DC Premium but my buddy who lives a couple blocks from me now has one so I am going to divert those funds to this project.

As you say Rob, I have absolutely zero expectation of getting my money out of whatever machine I do; it is really just going to be a show piece that I will keep in my office. It won't be placed with my other machines.

Anyway, if anyone thinks I've left off a machine I should really consider please let me know. Also, if anyone has a particular reason why one on my list may be better to bling out then another please let me know and give me some ideas.

Thanks for the post in the thread guys. This is going to be a fun project for me and I plan to keep everyone posted as it develops (even if the restore takes a long time).

I almost placed Viking on the list as it looks great.

Post some pics of those suckers! What did you think of Gorgar restored? Who did the restoration? Thanks!

Yep; his Swords of Fury is awesome too; might have to add that to the list. Wow. Wish he wasn't so booked up; his work is amazing.

Are there any other restorers that you would recommend?

Nope; I knew they both did restores but did not know they did commercial restores (I thought they just restored their own games). This was one of the reasons I started this thread though; looking for references and ideas on who to use. Thanks Rob!

Yea, thanks again Rob. Looks like you may have identified another challenge I will have to navigate through. Thanks for the leads.

That's the one that is going to be the TPF? Sweet!

Yea, would be nice for more people to make shops dedicated to this purpose; would be awesome really!

Wow! That is an incredible looking machine. I think I will add it to the list; thanks for pointing it out (I missed it due to its time era). Question: does it have a mirrored backglass? Does anyone know if Paragon has a mirrored backglass?

One reason Gorgar is so highly ranked in my mind for this project is that awesome mirrored backglass it has . . . that is hard to beat. I plan to make a decision on a machine this week or next week at the latest. I'm going to follow Rob's advice and discuss it over with the high end restorer.

Thanks for that info. I think I am absolutly going to add Sorcerer to the list.

Having the mirrored backglass is pretty important to me as this machine is going to be in my main office (away from my other machines) so I am looking for something that looks stunning. Paragon not having a mirrored backglass probably knocks it out of contention (shame too, beautiful artwork on that game). I may be knocking Blackhole off the list too, even though it is smashingly gorgeous, due to the maintenance issues that machine seems to be so well known for.

Centaur has an after market mirrored backglass that can be bought so that is helping it.

Anyway, I spoke with some fellow pinsiders about this yesterday during a pinball party. I may wait till after the TPF to make a final decision. I guess it depends on how my conversations with the restorers go later this week.

Thanks again to everyone for the info; I really appreciate it and am looking forward to this project greatly.

Was a little under the weather during the middle of the week so I have not progressed much or looked more into this project. All the input here is fantastic.

I note that many of the machines on my short list are going to be at the TPF in just a few weeks, so I may actually push the decision on the machine off till then. The issue Rob raises about obtaining the services of one of the high end guys is really concern for me to as so many of them seem to have so much on their plates already (the pinball business is booming) so I may have some light shed on that issue at TPF as well.

Yea, the BH back glass is amazing. I think I saw one was going to be at TPF. Will absolutely check it out closely. I wish Catacomb had a better looking back glass. The art work is superb and the rule set looks fantastic. Also, just from watching the game play on YouTube I like the sounds.

That looks great. Throw up some more pics!

That is a superb looking game. I can't wait to play it at the TPF! Very nice work.

Thanks for the referal. Does he have a webpage or any place that shows his work?

Yea, it is one I am considering, but the lack of the mirrored backglass is a big downer to me. I've never seen one in person; perhaps the lack of the mirrored backglass isn't a big deal. Can't wait for the TPF to get to see all these games.

I'm actually glad to hear you don't think I'm being silly on this topic. Pinball-is-Great and a couple other of the local pinsiders I play with agree with me that the mirrored backglass makes a monster difference from an appearance standpoint but there is so little discussion on the issue here.

I'm glad to see others outside of our little pinside group agree with us.

After careful consideration and a lot of play on older SS machines at the TPF...Sorcerer edges out Gorgar and Black Hole. Will start moving forward on the project this week.

I have engaged my restorer and he will be sourcing the machine for me. I'm number 7 in line for him at the moment so he'll get to me in 6-8 weeks. Special thanks to Anim8 for the comment above that got me to really start looking at this machine closely.

I'm having it blinged out (literally) to the max (got some really unique mods we're going to do it) and even though it is a few months out from getting to me, I'm already excited about it. Can't wait till it arrives and i get to share some pics. Till then this thread will be in hibernation.

Thanks Rob. Yea, I'll see if I can get some pics when the restore begins. It'll be about 6-8 weeks from now. With what we're talking about doing to it I think it will end up being the nicest Sorcerer around (at least if you like bling). Going to have a lot of custom work on it. I'll chat with the restorer and see if we can get some pics during the restore to share.

I agree with you about it being a good player. Had a lot of fun on the one at the TPF...has a lot of fun shots and is actually a challenging pin.

I spoke with him briefly. Seemed like an awesome guy and he kept great care of that machine. I turned off the machine during the festival because it was having a scoring error (a switch was constantly registering hits) and he materialized out of no where to ask what was wrong with the machine and then he fixed it on the spot. Was pretty cool.

If he is on pinside link him to this thread. Let him know his machine directly led me to picking Sorcerer for my early SS restored machine.

Alright, I am necromancing my old thread because . . . my restorer has sourced my Sorcerer and I think I am next up in line for the restore. It has been a long ten weeks or so for me but I am as pumped about this project now as I was when I started this thread.

I will speak with the restorer and see if he wouldn't mind posting some pictures of his work on pinside. His name has been mentioned in this thread already but I honestly don't know if he comes on this site or has an account. Will ask him tomorrow if he minds sharing his work in progress with everyone. We've thought of some cool and unique mods to make this a one of kind machine.

Totally agree. My collection just felt like it needed an early solid state game and Sorcerer is not only a work of art but is a lot of fun to boot.

I think you and I were playing some four player games when I made the decision on Sorcerer. Took awhile to source one that was a good restore candidate but we have it now. I'll post pics over the next couple of weeks.

Only on fire arms. Bling out them pinball machines!

So, my Sorcerer is complete. This thread is old and dead, but figured I'd post some pics in here for those of you that helped me decide on Sorcerer.

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Some more...

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Thanks Neo. I'm really happy with it and appreciate everyone who helped me come to the decision on it!

Sorry for the slow response. Was traveling this weekend.

The Safe Cracker fits in really well with my collection and I'm enjoying the heck out of it. Great game! I had never played one in an environment where I could hear it . . . I had no idea the call outs were so dirty. Ha!

Thanks Rob!

The restoration work was done by Keith Holbrook out of Dallas; I am exceedingly pleased with the work. I picked up the game from Keith yesterday (he was a great host as well when I went to pick up the machine) and set it up today. Plays smooth and fast. The coin door is not chrome but very nicely polished steel, looks similar to chrome.

I will take some more pictures and post them later this week. We all had a good time setting the game up today and putting some plays on it. I think I have the bug for these 80's games now. They are just so different.