Phantom of the Opera
Data East, 1990I think it's just import to preserve it, I think a hardtop would be a lifesaver for lots of old Phantoms out there. CPR are amazing but so limited and hard to get. Hardtop could be made to order, I dunno if they are but I think it's way less to make them. I agree hardtop is nowhere near a CPR but beggars can't be chooses and all that.
I mean preserve it as art for everyone not this specific playfield. I mean for all the people with Phantoms with all the gold paint worn off. Preserve this one digitally so one day maybe they can get a hard top or a CPR if either is ever available. I love Phantom but its a low dollar pin, if I had the choice between CPR and a Hardtop I would probable go CPR but it would be a bad decision finacially. If I think about it logically for a pin in the Phantom price point Hardtop is probable the smart play. Then again it might not even be possible as a hardtop with all that gold.
I sanded and filled and sanded and filled like nobody’s biz, but there was just no getting rid of all the delamination without spending a month on this. The decals are gonna cover the bulk of it anyways
Quoted from jboner1058:Now to let it gas out for a couple weeks
That's smart and after you sand it let it sit for a few days for it to dry before you spray it again. I learned the hard way.
I've been following this ever since you started this project. GREAT JOB!
I have a POTO and I have a problem I hope someone on here can chime in on and help me get the issue resolved.
My ball up-kicker wasn't quite getting the ball over the lip and into the shooter lane. It got progressively worse to where the ball would not come out at all. Just kept popping it up but with little 'oomph'. I decided today to put a new coil in to see if that was the problem, and apparently, it WAS! It now has the power to kick the ball out into the lane and works super in that regard. HOWEVER . . . when I started to play, the pin will not recognize that the 1st ball has drained, and it kicks up a new ball and never gets past Ball 1. You could play forever! And sometimes it now kicks up two balls. I'm sure I've messed something up while putting in the new coil. I know it was installed correctly and don't remember touching anything else. Anyone have any ideas?
Also, can someone confirm how many balls this pin uses? I have three in it right now.
Thanks!!!
Mike in Kentucky
Quoted from Pintucky:Also, can someone confirm how many balls this pin uses? I have three in it right now.
Data East's Phantom of the Opera uses only 3 balls.
From Laser War to Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends all were only 3 balls.
Did the coil you added have the diode in the correct way? And you might have to check your ball trough switches. They are notoriously awful. Also check that you didn’t knock the microswitch that detects the second ball out of whack/shape to the point where it’s not picking up the ball. I’m not looking forward to that part because I know my switches got bent and hooked on other wires in the harness when I put the harness in storage/spaghetti mess
Quoted from Darscot:I mean preserve it as art for everyone not this specific playfield. I mean for all the people with Phantoms with all the gold paint worn off. Preserve this one digitally so one day maybe they can get a hard top or a CPR if either is ever available. I love Phantom but its a low dollar pin, if I had the choice between CPR and a Hardtop I would probable go CPR but it would be a bad decision finacially. If I think about it logically for a pin in the Phantom price point Hardtop is probable the smart play. Then again it might not even be possible as a hardtop with all that gold.
I think its a low dollar pin because almost every example is destroyed, and sound and artwork is what sells it. The game has just as much playability as any other system 11 game. Which all system 11 games tend to be 3 shot games. Bride of pinbot is the worst for shot variations, yet its getting 3k asking now. I obviously am not doing this to make money off it. It was my favorite game as a kid alongside Funhouse and Haunted House so I am trying to make sure I have one that plays and looks as close to new as possible. How many people sell restored stuff that looks nice but mechanically is still using 30 year old parts? A lot. Mind you I'm double over what the pinside value is on this machine, but I can say I have one that is as close to my original experience with one at the pizza parlor down town in 6th grade as possible.
Quoted from jboner1058:I think its a low dollar pin because almost every example is destroyed, and sound and artwork is what sells it. The game has just as much playability as any other system 11 game. Which all system 11 games tend to be 3 shot games. Bride of pinbot is the worst for shot variations, yet its getting 3k asking now. I obviously am not doing this to make money off it. It was my favorite game as a kid alongside Funhouse and Haunted House so I am trying to make sure I have one that plays and looks as close to new as possible. How many people sell restored stuff that looks nice but mechanically is still using 30 year old parts? A lot. Mind you I'm double over what the pinside value is on this machine, but I can say I have one that is as close to my original experience with one at the pizza parlor down town in 6th grade as possible.
For the love of the game. 
Quoted from vec-tor:Data East's Phantom of the Opera uses only 3 balls.
From Laser War to Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends all were only 3 balls.
I thought wild horse saloon was only a 2 ball game?
Quoted from jboner1058:I think its a low dollar pin because almost every example is destroyed, and sound and artwork is what sells it. The game has just as much playability as any other system 11 game. Which all system 11 games tend to be 3 shot games. Bride of pinbot is the worst for shot variations, yet its getting 3k asking now. I obviously am not doing this to make money off it. It was my favorite game as a kid alongside Funhouse and Haunted House so I am trying to make sure I have one that plays and looks as close to new as possible. How many people sell restored stuff that looks nice but mechanically is still using 30 year old parts? A lot. Mind you I'm double over what the pinside value is on this machine, but I can say I have one that is as close to my original experience with one at the pizza parlor down town in 6th grade as possible.
You're preaching to the choir, I'm into mine for way more than I should be but I'll never sell it anyway. It's my personal favorite. I just want to see as many get saved as possible. I think for those that don't have love the pin hardtop is the way to go.
Quoted from jboner1058:New toys
Excellent purchase. I use both my tumbler and ultrasonic on every machine I go through. You won't be disappointed
Quoted from jboner1058:Did the coil you added have the diode in the correct way?
The coil for that trough/ball up-kicker that I replaced didn't have a diode on it, and I replaced it with the exact same coil number with no diode.
I know you are really busy but when you get a chance, will you look at your pin and see if there is a diode on your coil?
Thanks,
Mike in Kentucky
I just put those mechs in tbe tumbler (disassembled first). First thing in the morning I’ll go check the diode situation on them
how quiet is that tumbler? Looks like it's softer plastic than mine. Quiet would be good.
I did find out that it's really quiet if you keep the cover off. Unfortunately I found out the next day why you should not do that, as it left my entire workshop covered in 1/16" walnut dust with cleaner in it. What a mess.
It’s not bad. It runs about as loud as the dehumidifier I have running in the basement. I only put in the ball trough mechs and 3 balls just to test and you can hear metal clank against the plastic but it’s not terribly loud. I have no insulation under my wood floor and my workbench is right under my bedroom and it didn’t keep me awake. My buddy has a harbor freight small one and when he loads it up it’s loud as hell
Quoted from Pintucky:The coil for that trough/ball up-kicker that I replaced didn't have a diode on it, and I replaced it with the exact same coil number with no diode.
I know you are really busy but when you get a chance, will you look at your pin and see if there is a diode on your coil?
Thanks,
Mike in Kentucky
Both (all) need diodes
Quoted from jboner1058:oth (all) need diodes
You give nice, thorough answers, including pictures! I LIKE THAT! Thanks for the pictures.
I'll leave you alone now and let you get back to your new toys.
Mike
Quoted from Pintucky:Did the coil you added have the diode in the correct way?
The coil for that trough/ball up-kicker that I replaced didn't have a diode on it, and I replaced it with the exact same coil number with no diode.
I know you are really busy but when you get a chance, will you look at your pin and see if there is a diode on your coil?
Thanks,
I do not know what you guys are talking/typing about....
But Data East Phantom of the Opera pinball has diodes on all coils.
Data East is not Williams WPC system.
Has far as the outhole setup is.....
The
1) Outhole coil 23-840 with a 1N4004 diode cathode to the orange wire ( Q46).
2) Outhole Trough Eject coil 23-840 with a 1N4004 diode cathode to the orange wire (Q45).
Schematics pg. 27 and pg. 42.
Quoted from CaptainNeo:did you ultrasonic the whole thing?
At first, then I dissassembled it before putting it in the tumbler. It was getting a new coil and kicker shoe anyways so I figured no harm before I tossed it in. The coil still works, but I’m tossing it out anyways. There were so many burnt up coils in this game I just want all new. The tumbler works “ok” with walnut and flitz additive. Getting the damn walnut shells out of the screws is nightmarish so i just ordered all new screws and hardware from bolt Depot. I might reuse a handful depending on how they come out. There are so many incorrect screws in this game already it just makes sense to buy new
I put the coil sleeve in backwards on the kicker, whoops. And the second kicker (the arm that puts it into the lane) had to get some walnut dust blown out for better movement. Thought I got it all. There has got to be a better way to get rid of the walnut dust
I’m suprised by how many of these mechs were welded back together at some point or are just wrong. I understand the lack of parts for the last 20 years or so when they lost popularity but some of these are just downright ugly made from low grade steel or whatever bits were laying around the workbench. I am NOT looking forward to redoing the organ and motor. That guy must have a gallon of WD-40 and 2lbs of tig weld solder on it. And I know half the mech parts aren’t right
Quoted from vec-tor:I do not know what you guys are talking/typing about....
But Data East Phantom of the Opera pinball has diodes on all coils.
Data East is not Williams WPC system.
Has far as the outhole setup is.....
The
1) Outhole coil 23-840 with a 1N4004 diode cathode to the orange wire ( Q46).
2) Outhole Trough Eject coil 23-840 with a 1N4004 diode cathode to the orange wire (Q45).
Schematics pg. 27 and pg. 42.
AWESOME INFO vec-tor!!!! That helps in confirming what I need to know about the POTO, all its coils, and for this particular coil. I REALLY appreciate that!
Mike
Yeah DE System 2 uses a ton of Williams System 11 Parts, but also has a lot of unique parts like the coils and thumper bodys. Alvin G used a lot of Data East Parts.
Ok, so I managed to fit both BIG vuk plates in it and so far they seem to be tumbling fine. Let’s see if one gets hung up and burns a hole through the side of this thing “yeah amazon return policy”. And yeah, it’s pretty loud with both of these in there neo. I don’t think I’d put anything larger than these in there but some of the smaller ball guides might fit fine though
Well the 2 big vuk plates dug a ring around the center of it because they got hung up and stuck spinning. So big heavy giant plates are a no go.
The flipper mech plates came out really nice though. Had my kids back to school night last night so no reassembly and rebuild pics yet. I have to wait till my order from Boltdepot comes in anyways as the flipper mechs were missing screws and had a bunch of oddballs in there
I’m gonna have to bend some wire gates that are long missing. Also I need some detailed pics of your guys flipper mechs since mine have 8 different screws in it not matching, and detailed pics of your magic mirror assembly from all sides since mine was just way not right. Could you guys also send a pic of the left ball gate? The one it hits to the left of the music notes up top? Mine was another hack job and I want to make it right and I can’t find a reference photo
I prefer the high polished metal with the water and gum resistance parafin based coating. Chrome would have been cool though but I didn’t have an extra couple grand to toss into it. No one in Jersey really does chrome because of the safety and disposal protocols
Quoted from jboner1058:This motor is trashed. It was just barely working when I got it, I can see why. Like a gallon of WD-40 pouring out of the motor housing
Lol Every pin I buy is soaked in wd40. I ultrasonic cleaned everything on my pinbot. Plays like new now.
Bought smaller roll pins and re-did the vuks. Of course the rebuild kits didn’t come with springs so here’s another order before I can continue because I only had 2 springs in the big order thinking the rebuild kits came with them. Also had to order larger rubber grommets. These don’t feel like they are right enough
Ordered motor off eBay for $10 less than others were listing it. Also had to order a new organ shield because mine was broken and I didn’t notice. The left hinge was also welded back together. Marco is sold out of left hinges so I’ll try to clean up the weld and blue it to blend it in a bit
Quoted from jboner1058:First attempt. Some scratches from the jig and cut opposite grain. Will make a few more and pick the best one.
Looks fine to me.
Quoted from jboner1058:Ordered motor off eBay for $10 less than others were listing it. Also had to order a new organ shield because mine was broken and I didn’t notice. The left hinge was also welded back together. Marco is sold out of left hinges so I’ll try to clean up the weld and blue it to blend it in a bit
Your having fun....and your wife knows where to find you. 
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Chilliwack, BC
Burlington, WI
