In the early 1980s, homeowners would occasionally pay you to remove an old pinball machine from a basement. By the late 1980s and early/middle 1990s, Gottlieb woodrails were immensely popular, particularly with European collectors. Even the "B" and "C" titles of Gottlieb woodrails were in demand. In the last 20 years, the "A" list Gottlieb woodrails have continued to remain in high demand and have held or increased in value for some titles. The better Williams woodrails have enjoyed a steady increase in value in the last 10 years. The 1970s EMs have also steadily increased in price, particularly in the last 6 to 7 years, with a few of the best Gottlieb wedgehead titles tripling in price. Early solid state games have generally fetched considerably higher prices in the last few years. Currently, prewar games are hot. It will be interesting to see how the release of new, modern (expensive) games from new manufacturers and Stern will affect the marketplace. One thing is certain. If the market flatlines, you'll never lose more than $800 in an $800 game whereas an $8K game can lose thousands in value by the time of resale. Lesson? We can relax when we buy project games, knowing that the fun factor is high and the financial risk is low. In contrast, NIB game purchases require considerably more circumspection. Viva la projects!

To remove those old contact paper protectors, I recommend the following:

1) apply freeze spray and carefully peel away, applying more freeze spray as you proceed. Use a credit card to scrape, to avoid damaging the playfield;
2) if freeze spray fails, try the 3M product (adhesive remover in a can) depicted below. I successfully utilized the 3M product, and a hair blow dryer, without any damage to the playfield, on my Daisy May, as shown below.

These spray products will transform the contact paper into a more flexible consistency which does not require a razor blade to remove.
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Evidently, this Joker Poker coffee table, formerly a pinball machine, was also turned into a Bally, formerly a Gottlieb. The description lists the game as a Bally!

I think that the consumer market for the "Colson-quote shirt" is male Pinsiders. However, to make sense, the shirt itself needs to be tailored to fit women.

Hmmm. "Satan" Doll sounds like a dark game. If that machine begins talking like Talky Tina, even though it lacks a speech feature, Colson sure as hell will be glad that he wasn't closer.

For reference, I sold a Southern Belle in working condition, with good cosmetics, including fairly good plastics, excellent cabinet and playfield, new tray liner, and a presentable backglass, a few years ago for $450 to make room for another game. That was on the very low end of the price range for this title. The high end was a couple hundred more, perhaps as high as $750. Gauge your game's value accordingly. Several years ago, a spectacular example of a Southern Belle fetched over $2K (to a NJ buyer), as I recall; however, that sale was an outlier. Good luck! However, I suggest that you list a realistic price in your ad. Your $8M price does not engender good will nor encourage offers, I suspect.

Here's a shopped 1964 Williams Soccer for a $499 buy-it-now in Ohio. It appears to be in good overall condition.

ebay.com link: Soccer 1964 Williams Pinball machine

Nice work.

I can uncross my fingers, now that the royal glass has arrived safely. It gives us all great satisfaction to know that your Queen of Hearts will rise from the ashes and that you will enjoy making her live again.

As for installing Gottlieb woodrail backglasses, there are two methods. First, if the two wooden support braces at the top of your game's head are fragile, I suggest simply removing them by carefully prying them off. Doing so allows enough room to slide in the backglass on an angle, while the backbox mechanism is attached. If desired, you could glue those support braces back on after installation. I wouldn't use excessive glue, though, in case you ever needed to remove the backglass and wanted easy access in the future.

The second method, which is more time-consuming, is to remove the entire backbox board mechanism. To do so, here are the steps:

* First be sure that there are 2 screws, sufficiently extended toward each other, at the midpoint of the internal backbox so that the backbox board can rest securely upon same, when the backbox is retracted diagonally downward for access.
* Next, identify a soft, safe location immediately behind the game to place the heavy backbox board once it is removed.
* Next, unplug the Jones plugs.
* Next, unscrew the 3 female Jones plug assemblies at the bottom.
* Next, while supporting the backbox in the down position, unscrew the 4 or 5 or so screws on the hinge, which hold the hinge itself to the cabinet.
* Next, while holding the weight of the backbox board mechanism, carefully set it aside with the hinge still attached. You will now have enough room to insert the backglass from the bottom up, even with the wooden support braces intact, at the top of the internal backbox.
* After installing the backglass, be careful to align the bottom of the backbox board when reattaching the hinge, to avoid pressing against the backglass.

Alternatively, since your backbox "frame" is already removed, you have the additional option to simply place the backglass into the frame alone and then carefully glue the frame (with glass installed) back onto the backbox. However, this will require a careful use of the glue to avert seepage into the glass.

Frankly, I think that Ryan had the timing of this gift off by a month. Shouldn't the greatest gobble hole game ever made (according to Wayne Neyens himself) be the subject of the turkey holiday? Merry Christmas to all and to all a gobble hole night.

If you go the backbox mechanical board removal route, you will, naturally, need to first secure that frame to the backbox. The frame was originally attached at the factory without nails, as I recall. In any event, nails are not needed and are cumbersome, now that the frame has been removed. Thus, utilizing wood glue to secure the frame will be needed, irrespective of the backglass installation method you select. Discard the nails and fill the nail holes with wood filler, if any such holes are visible. Also, if desired, lightly sand and refinish the exposed portion of the frame. Then, repaint the black portion of the frame with gloss black paint, prior to reattaching the frame.

Given that you need to glue the frame to the backbox anyway, I would consider installing the backglass at the time of the frame installation, if you are confident with your ability to glue. I would place the backbox flat on its back and let gravity do the work. Place a thin piece of foam (1/8 or 1/16 inch thick) over the light-board. Lay the backglass over the foam. The 2 wooden braces at the top will not interfere with this method. Carefully and judiciously run a very thin bead of wood glue on the frame's surface. Align the frame with the backbox, press lightly and wait overnight. The only cautionary measure is to go easy on the glue to avert seepage to the backglass.

If you're not confident with your gluing skills, opt for one of the other methods.

We're all anxious to see the finished product, Pecos. No joke!

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The photo in my previous post failed to load. Let's try to load a couple here.

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RYAN: “Sheesh, that game is hot as sh**. With the purple powder coat."

COLSON: “Whoa! Yes! Whoa!”

RYAN: “Yes! The Colson has scored. Whoa, my man!”

[pinball cross talk]

RYAN: “It better not be a reimport. No it’s a domestic game, it’s”

COLSON: “Yeah that’s a Bad Cats with the gold legs. I better bring some ratchet wrenches, in case I start wanting to unscrew her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful clearcoats. . .I just start road tripping them. It’s like a magnet. Just road trip. I don’t even wait. And when you’re Colson, they let you do it. You can do anything."

RYAN: “Whatever you want.”

COLSON: “Grab them by the coin door.. You can do anything.”

Well, I guess that the joke fell flat. It's a homage to the infamous Billy Bush Hollywood Access videotape and the fact that Colson is known for "grabbing" games. When you're famous, they let you grab things, like Bad Cats or similarly-named anatomical disparagements.

STI/Beltmann/NAVL (i.e. Michelle Bianchi) would likely cost closer to $400, ground floor to ground floor) from CA to Ohio. At $900 total, including shipping, the purchase of that Fairy is certainly within the value range for that title in good condition. It is unlikely that another will surface for sale anytime soon.

That description is incorrect. That's not the home version playfield. It's the commercial Fireball Classic playfield with the wrong apron.

Here's an odd one: CCM Big Flipper with big flippers. . .worth a tad less than big flipper Data East King Kong. . .just a tad.

ebay.com link: 1970 Chicago Coins BIG FLIPPER Pinball Machine Watch Video

I bought TNT's 1968/69 Bally Cosmos, as soon as I viewed the listing on Saturday, which was about 12 hours after it appeared on various pinball sites. TNT is only 30 miles from me. This project game has good bones and should clean up well. The original backglass is particularly nice. TNT's Todd Tuckey had a foreign buyer; but, chose to sell it locally to avert the shipping hassle. The sale was seemless and I had fun playing the games at TNT. Todd was very courteous.

I suppose that Nic and his museum will snag the next Cosmos which appears for sale on the east coast.

Meanwhile, I am seeking to buy an apron, plunger cover, and red flippers with raised lettering. One flipper is cracked and I'm unsure how well this apron will clean up in terms of the graphics. Here is the apron I'm seeking to replace, plus a photo of the playfield as found, the cabinet, and a photo of the well-preserved backglass.

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The prior owner placed a redundant nail between the zipper flippers. I will have to repair the holes in that area with Bondo. Fortunately, there are no security bar holes on the front (photo attached) so at least that indignity was spared. The game came with original schematics and above-average correct legs, which is always a plus.

Todd recorded a video of the purchase. I imagine that he will post it on the TNT site, at some point.

I recently restored a Bally Surfers and Rocket III, two other Ted Zale zipper flipper games. Sold my '72 Fireball over a decade ago. I guess that I am on the zipper flipper train, at the moment.

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Pinball is plentiful in PA, NJ and NY. Georgia does have its fair share, though.

Among Parker's best backglass creations. Very good playfield geometry as well on Harbor Lites. Congrats.

I agree with your overall observation with one exception. Fathom had eclipsed the $7K price point in 2013, six years ago. Nice ones were consistently fetching about $5K and the prime examples were selling for slightly north of $7K.

I remember that spike because I traded my Fathom that year for a valuation in that $7K range.

Decent condition Fathoms (and Centaurs to a lesser extent) have commanded enhanced price points for six to nine years, excluding outlier sales data. The price escalated geometrically on Fathom in 2013 and has stabilized in that general $5K+ range ever since.

The $5K to $7K range for Fathom sales in 2013 reflects games in collector quality to high end restoration condition.

Functional and nonfunctional projects, especially those with substantial cosmetic issues, were selling in the $1K to $2,500 range. I agree with that valuation relative to 2015.

These were the average sales prices in the USA, not particular to any region and excluding the outlier sales.

A steal. Fantastic game.

Brought her home earlier tonight. . .$350. Dixieland will be an easy restoration compared to my other recent projects.