I think it looks pretty cool. Kind of a reminder of the games history. Unless you are going for a CQ style game then I say leave it.

Unless your are living in house full of cats...by all means repaint.

Member paintpins has a graffiti thread going and may desire some good images before the re-paint

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinball-graffiti-archives-vol-1-thread

Leave as is
History made it that way
Unless it’s falling apart and your ... about scratches

I'd leave it

You hear the term “museum quality” quite a bit. Well, a few years ago I curated a history of Pinball show at a museum in SoCal. I had some beautiful original examples of games on display as well as some “well loved” worn and abused games. The games that got the most attention/comments were the games that showed their pasts. The vandalism is testament to the lives these games lived, often “underground” and hidden from the law since they were illegal in so many places.
Unless my cabinets are completely damaged, or I’m forced to recabibet a game, I like to preserve that history.

These machines are survivors and IMHO they look even better if they have a few battle scars. My only concern would be the potential for more flaking of that lead-based paint.

On EMs I leave the cab as is when they look like that for the reasons exaolined above. Newer SS, they get redone. Not sure why that's my etiquette but it just feels right!

With a nice backglass and playfield, plus with Pinball Pimp having the stencils for it, I would absolutely paint it.

Agreed. If the playfield and backglass weren’t so nice, I’d probably leave it. But they are in such great shape that the whole machine would be near immaculate if the cabinet was refreshed.

If it were me with my ocd tendencies I would repaint as it would be fairly easy to replicate to a stock look. Hell I was just fortunate enough to pick up a WOZ from a fellow pinsider and I do t want to damage the playfield by playing it. Think Cameron’s Dad in ferris Buehlers day off! Way screwed up. I can also very much appreciate leaving the patina as long as there are no structural issues. Guess it depends on what you wish. Personally I would most likely give in to my ocd tendencies and repaint it

G

With that beautiful backglass and playfield I Would certainly repaint the cabinet . A semi matte finish would be perfect !

I'd leave it. It's part of the games history.

EXACTLY! I am the same way when redoing machines - I don't like to take things so far they can not be reversed. I clean but never "over-clean" anything --- my thoughts are if the next guy wants to take it to the next level he can but I prefer nice original over repaint any day of the week.

I've had a similar discussion with my two girls as we've been restoring a Bad Cats playfield. It was blown out when I found it, but we've made it "like new" with a few telltales and imperfections. I've told them, "almost anyone can buy a CPR or have a pro fix it, or spend the next required 90% of time chasing that next 5% of perfection... but then you just have another same "new" Bad Cats like anyone else.

The minor imperfections and telltales and changes prove to us (and anyone else) that we worked on this by hand. And is part of the history if anyone ever asks why.

So, plenty of Drop-A-Cards with perfect cabs out there. Can make convert that one any time into just another restored game. But that history, once it's gone... it's gone.

I would keep it as such. It is a testimony to the glorious hours of Pinball machines and a memory of some probably great players that enjoyed this machine and scribbled their signature on the cabinet.

Yves

I'd love to get some closer pics for my Archive https://www.facebook.com/groups/118277328753909/

Thanks, we've been in touch. I also have a Facebook page for the graffiti I update a bit more regularly titled PINBALL GRAFFITI ARCHIVES VOL.1

Its completely up to you, but if you have an interest in learning to paint a cabinet, this one looks like a great one to learn on. The design lends itself well to an easy taping/masking job, and would look great when painted. I'm of the group that prefers a cabinet with clean art, but can also see why some prefer to leave the graffiti on.

I've painted this title a few times and it's simplicity is very deceiving. While it sometimes looks like 2 triangles piercing a square nothing about the blue is centered or even.

Still going strong

https://www.facebook.com/groups/118277328753909/

That cabinet looks great! Hope you don't/didn't repaint it.