My recommendation is to replace them with the same style of socket. Odds are good the same type is used throughout the machine, so it's more a logistical thing to do so, so that the machine uses only one "type" of bulb. Otherwise, any new socket should be pretty reliable compared to what's in there, whether it's a plastic wedge socket or a bayonette.

Replacing all the sockets is viable, as long as you don't have things like light boards that take those "twist in" #555 sockets for a playfield array. Do realize that it may make the machine less "desirable" on the market because it has a different type of lamp socket than it shipped with from the factory.

Here's at least a starting point for finding wedge sockets: https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=wedge+lamp+socket

The only real reason we have wedge lamps in the house is because of what I fitted into our virtual pinball... both the used Suzo-Happ coin door and the Launch button use wedges, and I haven't decided if I'm going to make the attempt to change those for bayonettes. We're using LED bulbs anyway, which reduces the need to change bulbs in general, and the wedge made it easy to change the Launch button because I'm limited to 3V, I just adapted a straight LED into an empty wedge base and added my own resistor.

It is your game.

The only thing that would keep me from changing the sockets on a machine to another style is just the whole, "oh, man, how MANY sockets would I be dealing with here?" Our virtual build technically has three types of bulbs; three wedges in the coin door, that modified wedge in the Launch button, and the two EZStart led buttons next to the coin door. It'd give anyone fits in terms of logistics, but again, LED, I don't expect to have to deal with them except to change the insert color on the coin slots.

Have you considered vinyl dye? They sell it for working with car interior parts. It's supposed to bond better to plastic and actually "soak in", so to speak. I believe they sell it in spray cans.

I've got a hobby like that, scale modeling, where I can take equipment with me (my club does two monthly "build and bitch" meetings), so my solution to the problem is to have, for the relevant tools, a set on the home bench, and a set in a toolbox that goes with me. It might be worth identifying the equipment that tends to be "leave it at the other location when I need it here", and set up a second (or more depending on locations) set, or at least a "at the main bench" set and "in the car" set. It might get a little expensive depending on your exact soldering setup (since you'll want something that uses the same tips as the main iron), but it can pay for itself in terms of boosted productivity.

...why is one of the pop bumpers installed backwards?

I'm betting that it's because of the formulation required to actually achieve proper coverage... yellow and orange are notorious in a lot of paints of requiring either many more coats, or a backing of white paint, to achieve good coverage.