Lost World
Bally, 1978I wanted a project, and I sure did get one. This game is pretty well rusted on every part, yet I am forging ahead to save it. I am absolutely crazy.
It's a Bally Lost World, and it's a disaster, but I'm not really interested in opinions about specific games and whether or not certain titles are worth saving, I am more interested in the depth of destruction you are willing to take on
Please enter a poll response and share your thoughts.
20220504_163055 (resized).jpgDo what you enjoy in this hobby 
I've brought many to life that others would have chopped up and sold their parts. Only exception for me on a restore is termites.
With rusty parts, you can clean or replace. I don't really see that as a huge deal. It just takes some extra time to go through the game.
It is admirable that you are saving it. Realistically, it all boils down to time vs. Money. If you aren't worried about either...go for it. If you are looking to turn a profit...it won't be worth your time.
I took on Flicker because only the first four inches or so are corroded. The rest looks real good. The whole lockdown frame and assembly will have to be replaced, but with patience and my Dremel, the lockdown bar itself was saved.
4195C308-AF9C-4E74-8393-5A291BE08A4A (resized).jpegCE095B45-5D39-4947-B990-7BEF00132DAB (resized).jpegB04F4100-9CB0-4710-AD0C-3E252C73B02A (resized).jpeg2B3DE481-5319-439F-87BF-A66472BD86A5 (resized).jpeg
Once the corroded metal is out, I hope the mouse piss smell will be out with it.
Actually, I was going to let a friend have it, but my wife likes the theme and the bg and pf are nice.
The question is, do you enjoy the restoration work?
If restoring is a fun hobby, you are getting enjoyment and a good pin at the end. If you just want to play, or sell, this level of work isn’t going to pan out. You’ll either quit before it’s done or sell at a loss.
I’m just getting into the hobby and would be intimidated by this work. But I have enjoyed the minor work I’ve done and could see working my way up.
I enjoy crusty games. It’s pretty satisfying resurrecting them.
That being said anything here on the East coast of Canada that is considered a “project” is going to have rust on it somewhere. Some better than others. I find Gottliebs seem to withstand it better than any crusty game I’ve come across.
I probably overpaid for my Capt Fantastic that has a beat cabinet, blown out playfield and literally anything that moves is covered in wd40….but the backglass is mint. So that’s a bonus I guess…lol
I into it so I can have a decent looking playable toy at an affordable price. Flicker is the most project of a game I’ve gotten so far. It is fun bringing a game to life, but the point is to end up with a game I like.
So grateful you started this thread. I’m in the middle of two similar (but probably not as bad, LOL) repairs. For me, it is a challenge of perspective all the time, but I know this: I am having fun, and I’m not encumbered by business decisions.
So: you pick your passion projects, and you get them working, and you have fun or you don’t.
Ultimately, if you read enough threads, you’ll be convinced you’re a fool for buying it, or you didn’t go far enough on the restore, or you’ve overspent or underspent, or you’re overpriced or underpriced.
Are you having fun? Are you learning? Are you looking forward to the moment when you get to plunge Ball 1?
Thanks all for the words of encouragement. Yes, I enjoy bringing them back. Most of them stayed a little while and went to appreciative new homes. I am not looking looking to make a profit - some did, some didn't. With the amount of work this is and since I only have two games in my collection I plan to hold it.
I'm in for the long haul on it, for sure. Gottlieb Double action woodrail was a lot of work, just not as corroded. That was an adventure for my first cabinet repaint and stripping paint off the wood. I just can't do EMs so much, adjusting relays is really tough on my eyes these days. My passion is working on the early solid state games. I've done a lot of topside rework but this is the first time completely reworking the bottom.
I had another thread where I thought about a retheme for this game. Now I can't do it: I fell in love with the art on this game.
20220501_150612 (resized).jpgQuoted from AndrewP:Ultimately, if you read enough threads, you’ll be convinced you’re a fool for buying it, or you didn’t go far enough on the restore, or you’ve overspent or underspent, or you’re overpriced or underpriced.
Are you having fun? Are you learning? Are you looking forward to the moment when you get to plunge Ball 1?
I know I am upside-down on this money wise already. I do have to try to use as much original as possible and there are a lot of things I will have to buy along the way. As far as your questions, absolutely yes. Who doesn't love plunging a first ball on a "new game"? That's why most of us are here in the first place.
Quoted from Tuukka:You can always throw the rusty parts to a tumbler and get new lamp sockets/switches if that doesn't help. If the playfield is in decent shape and all plastics intact, I'd say go for it!
So other than buying new sockets, what have folks here done with them to make them work better and look better? I have some ideas, I've only used a dremel on the inside to clean the mating surfaces. I'd also like to know what NOT to do to them - to avoid making them any worse. Things like using rust remover chemicals such as evaporust or CLR, for example....safe or not? I'll "rejuvenate" them, if possible.
Quoted from Tuukka:Usually the problem with lamp sockets is the rivet getting loose. That can be fixed by soldering parts together.
Rust removing chemicals do not hurt either, but clean thoroughly after using those.
Also spray some clear coat on the metal parts after Evaporust and cleaning them. It will prevent/slow down rust from returning. You can buy cans of clear at your local hardware store and probably Amazon.
Going through this right now with LE-3 . I got the game for free. It must have had 2 pounds of mouse and rat shit inside. I use Dollar Store Totally Awesome cleaner. Cheap and strong. Caustic, so it does a good job on poop, and other oils. Just be careful with painted surfaces. Then I douched the cabinet with enzymatic cleaner to help rid the urine and poop smell. Even after that, the urine smell persists on plastic parts, wiring, wood. I discovered that putting the items directly in the sunlight destroys the lingering odor. Completely. Obviously, you have to be careful with plastic parts, as they can warp. But after a couple weeks in the California Sun the wiring harness and cabinet no longer stink like piss
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Berea, OH
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