It’s partially a joke. This is Tdiddy’s first EM arcade. I helped him track this one considering I knew he was looking for something s little special. The guy he bought it from is a longtime collector friend of mine that decided that it was time to move it along.

It was down to the Bromley Little Pro or the Mini Golf. I tried as much as I could to push him the direction of the mini golf purely for the fact that they so seldom come up available. Needless to say, he made the right decision

I was thinking it was most likely a joke, but I was once given a Williams men-run-the-bases
P & B just to get it out of there, and before they had to condemn it, an old lady from my hometown
had like 80 cats living inside her house, so I guess it may have been possible, although the M.G does
look to be in pretty nice shape..

Yeah I was low key a game I was saving for myself. Cosmetically, the cabinet is nicer on his, than mine. I am glad it is in the hands of a collection that it will see some action now. The collection it was purchased from is a really good collection of items, just not many games get played. I’ve personally pulled 3 unreleased prototypes, and many other more common titles. There’s been many titles I have completely missed out on that I feel I’ll never see again

Would that happen to be Mickey Treats? If so, it is a nice example. I played it about 8 years back when I bought his fire chief

Fire Chief. I know of the game, but never played one.
Yes, I restored the one Mickey has, but that wasn't the
one I did for the Mini Golf. The one Mickey has was much worse.
So bad, that it was given to me plus another half of a machine
I used for parts. Only 2 were known that were set up at the time.
One that Mark Brosso dropped off I did for the M.G.
What other titles did you get from that collection, and what others
does/did he have?

Gundam_Pilot_ Did you ever get the chance to look for this manual for the Sega Night Rider mate? Still happy to pay for a scanned copy I've kept my eye out online but there's just been nada

Through the years I have pulled out some more common stuff, to less common. A mixture of pins, and arcades, but I know we don’t care about pins here so……. Americoin junkyard, midway shooting gallery deluxe, Midway twin pirate, old Harvard token stamp, some rare solid state arcades that are kinda hybrid like Bally Big Bat Badeball SS pitch and bay (like scientific), Bally Midnight Marauders SS gun game (made like any EM gun game), Williams 4 in 1. The unreleased prototypes are Williams Match Race, Bally Winners Circle, and the Williams Direct Hit. I have not shared shared with the world that I have the direct hit in my possession yet. But it’s coming up on the restoration queue very soon. There’s been a few pieces I’ve missed on that I absolutely regret not being established enough in this hobby at the time before they walked out the door. Stuff like Still Crazy, or Jaycopter helicooter game.

I included a few pictures of the unreleased games. I’ve posted the winners circle and match race before.

I gotta get back to where that stuff is soon. I should be back there within a couple weeks and can check that for you. I’ve been rummaging through the sega cabinets lately anyways. I’ll let you know.

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These aren’t mine, but I love the story. Allegedly the guy had 3 40ft MBA bowlers. Clearly 20ft of extensions on each lane, but he had 2 set up and one not. There’s not many games I’d like to add to the collection at this point, but an MBA/Bowlerama definitely is one of them. Too cool of a bowler, just too damn expensive. But hey I have 2 kidneys and only need one.

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Awesome stuff! I always feel like pins are the best bang for the buck entertainment wise. These cool old arcades are what get me the most excited. They are more interesting to collect.

Don’t get me wrong, pins were the strong suit for many years. It just gets to the point where you run out of things to chase, or room. My limit for pins at the house is around 50 pins. The pin collection is also full of prototypes/samples and rare release pins. The funny thing is that I don’t own a modern stern with a LCD. They are just too expensive, and I am too cheap of a guy.

EM arcades are a fun opportunity to branch towards something different where you can add pieces that nobody around you has. Pins I feel do not hold that same regard (mostly)

Cheers, that will be very much appreciated!!

Back in the 90s when (as far as I now know) had the only MBA/Bowlarama set
up (when talking to Doc Doom, he didn't have a clue what the machine was), I had
a chance to pick up like 8 MBAs from this huge Gris Mill warehouse, but since only
fairly locally I paid $400.00 for mine, I hadn't a clue what one day they'd be worth,
They were rough, but $200.00 for all 8. I didn't have the space, but if I had
known, I would have found space. Mickey's was one of the worse of those 8.
You once being at Mickey's, did you do some traveling, or are you somewhat
driving distance from him?
A few years back, I restored what was a fairly rough Deluxe, and let it go. I now
regret that. I haven't restored the Bally Marksman yet, but I have the other Midway
and Ballys, and liked the Deluxe 2nd to the Rifle Gallery.
If you happen to still have the Deluxe and maybe like to trade, I'd have interest.
I had the scenery, bg, (not yet on the machine), but goldish Midway Deluxe Shooting
Gallery upper plate reproduced, and sold it for cheap.
My room is once again limited. but I'd arrange it so a Deluxe could be put next to the
Rifle Gallery..

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Ahhh such a good deal. More so incredible to the fact there were 8 of them!

So when I purchased my fire chief from Mickey, he had a really rough shooting gallery in the barn/garage on the ground. I cannot remember which one it was, but I know it wasn’t the rifle gallery or I would have bought it.

Is the one you restored that one he had in the barn?

That would be funny to see it again after 8 years

As for the deluxe. I do still have it, but I am not looking to move it yet. I need to make new discs for it, or maybe someone has done it already. Mines not nearly as nice as the one you restored.

I however may know where there is another deluxe kicking around in ohio. I can look into it further and let you know.

Aww yeah cats outta the bag!
Can't wait for your Direct Hit to enter restoration mode

Yes, I'd be interested in the other Deluxe. I have ball bowlers (ones a pretty next
Bally Lucky Alley) for trade, and since I have a Keeney League Leader, I'd trade a Scientific
Batting Practice that I have for it if he may have interest.
No, that Shooting gallery I'm not sure of, but he did get a Midway Shooting Gallery
from me that had a repainted cabinet that looked alright, and mechanically it played
100%. That would have been in his game room if he still had it at that time.
Yes, the Deluxe I had wasn't in great shape when I got it in, but only traded a couple
(un-restored) Wedge Heads for it. I put much time into that Deluxe..
Also, I have quite a few classic Wedge Heads if he may be interested in pins..

I can ask him but I know a scientific is a game he already has.

As for some topic content.

Spending my Friday evening throwing together a dual stand for the pachinko games. Making it out of recycled materials. So we will see what we can do to make this nice. Yes cayt I know their not pachinkos lol

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Snaked a Midway Duck Hunt for free because my pinbro thought it was too tattered and was going to part it out and dump it! Oh baby.
I went and got it, and yes, the back it falling to dust on the edges and whatnot... but it turned on, coined up and started a game. It's completely gunked up and suchlike, so the ducks barely moved and etc... but I am 80% there. The blacklight is even good, and the shotgun makes a great sound and recoils nicely.
I just pulled apart the gun and fixed the trigger switch, the big ol bulb is even good. I had to clean a lot of cobwebs out of the barrel, but now the shotgun is good to go. Next up score reels (very weird on this thing), and the flying duck and goose mechanics, and the duck and goose noises are just strange screams right now, but soon, grasshopper, soon.
So stoked.

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Nice score! Ain't nothing wrong with a complete game!
Sometimes you can get lucky putting some fresh oil on the Midway reels to get them to spin easier, sometimes you have to take them apart.

That Match Race game looks like they used a slightly modified Ringer/Penny Pitch cabinet.

Found another one

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I picked up an unusual shuffle alley/gambling game called Chicago Coin Bulls Eye Ball Drop. You try to get balls to drop in a scoring area by shooting a puck at the appropriate target. If your score is high enough, you can win one or more colored marbles. Depending on the marble color, you get an "award" of points which I suspect represented an under-the-counter cash pay off. Pics below.

Game works fine after a light shop job and is in surprisingly nice cosmetic condition. Anybody else come across one of these?

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Yes, I have one set up except there's no marble payout. Being in New York,
it probably wasn't allowed. I picked it up from the original Vendor. I traded
a working ball bowler for 4 machines, and Bullseye was one of them.
I remember crawling over a bunch of machines to see what he had, and trapped
in the far back was Bullseye. A machine I've never seen (at the time) before..
I also have its cousin World Series. That one came from a mechanic that worked
for a good size Vendor here in my hometown. He said he remembered dragging it
down the cellar steps still in the box. I knew that old time mechanic pretty well. I'm
glad I have the World Series..

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That is correct.

I am guessing this is the one that was stolen (because it was cheap) on eBay? I can’t believe it sst on the market for so long

Indeed it was! The guy I got it from said his friend owned it and brought it to his shop to burn it. Literally. As with a big fire! The guy decided that the backglass at least might be worth something for somebody's man cave and listed it on Ebay instead of burning it. Can't believe I got it so cheap, but I'm not complaining. I will play it for awhile but may list it for sale or trade at Pinfest. Haven't definitely decided yet. There's so few of them in circulation, I haven't found any reliable pricing info on them.

What eBay category do these things get listed under?

What are the dimensions of those bad boys? they look like they would fit in a pinball line up. very curious!
B

They're shorter than the common shuffle bowler, but still close to 2 ft. longer
than a normal size pinball. I just measured, and they're both around 77.5"

Love this. Definitely on my list of things to own if I ever have a very large space.

It looks like a fun shuffle to me. There’s a couple of games where you have to time the drop like that. You got a great deal IMO. GAlad to see it didn’t get torched.

Off of initial search, I cannot find anything for it, does anyone have any info on this speed ball game? I feel like I’ve seen it before, but I don’t think I have.

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This photo what dreams are made of.

(or nightmares!)

You have the best finds!

I am going to go with dreams.

I say dreams depending on the circumstance. This picture has 2 games in it. Anyone know what the other one is?

I get lucky from time to time. I just collect a variety of stuff. But the stuff is out there. Just depends on the connections you establish.

I picked this up over the weekend along with some other amusement park and pinball stuff. Nonetheless, my dog looks regal in this thing.

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Probably the wrong place to post, but what the heck. Working on a CC Coney Island rifle game. I'm in need of the Motor Jumper Unit or the cam that goes on it. Someone jerry-rigged a unit but the cam they put on it is incorrect. Thx
izzy

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These are a couple miscellaneous projects of late...never heard of, or played either before. The skill jump is very challenging....the other is still on the operating table....

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These are a couple miscellaneous projects of late...never heard of, or played either before. The skill jump is very challenging....the other is still on the operating table....
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They are both very nice machines. In my collection I find the Skill Jump very popular-indeed for my eldest daughter the most popular machine.

I was able to get my hands on a good Williams Ten Strike.

Needed some work on the pins now it is a robust player. So much fun and I get a kick playing it every day.

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Changed the knobs to correct red. Least I think they need to be red. E33B9E7C-D6F8-48B2-BEF2-7CA49E855A75 (resized).jpeg

Very cool. Is that plastic cover original?
Looks great!

It is in great condition for a 65 year old game, so I doubt it. I imagine the 90’s Benchmark limited remake provided spares that were gobbled up.

Those Ten Strike covers were also re-produced for the Jumbo 7 footers.
I believe back in the 90s.
I'm not sure who remade them. Mine came with the repro cover when I
picked it up back in the late 90s/early 00s

Edit: It's actually Mike Hasanov. He'll have them at the upcoming Chicago Coinop show for $600

Mine does not seem it was cut down.

I read the 7 footer plays real well, obviously more challenging than the 5’ Ten Strike. You still got it?

The play key of these manikin games for me is to adjust the distance between the playfield magnet and the pins carbon steel screw so it is just attracting. Get a few strikes and lots of spares now. That’s why I had to make new pin bottoms.

Steve

No, I meant the covers were not only re-produced for the 5 footers, but also for the 7 footers.
I'm almost positive the same party made them both around the same time.
It's possible Benchmark was asked if they would do a few for the 7 footers, but I think
most likely the covers were produced elsewhere.
Yes, I still have the jumbo. I was lacking a torsion spring for the maniken and was able
to get a used one, then that one broke and I found out PBR has those springs, so I picked
up a couple and still have to put it on. That springs important. The maniken's aim is all over
the place without it. I'll be working on the 10 Strike before long.
Congradulations on your nice pick!!

Wow that ten strike bowler is awesome
What do those typically run?

Nearly more than I could afford…..but not quite.

Earlier in the month I brought in the United Playtime. I knew it was going to be more
than just a go through because the center section came from another machine, and some
wiring had to be redone and physically things didn't butt up together properly, and also the
pin deck was a mess. I didn't totally restore it, but enough so everything lines up and matches
decently..
One thing I can say is the mechanics in the head were in nice shape and 100% gone through
and it now plays 100%
Now I just need to decide if I should to let this one go, or the 1957 ABC Bally Tournament..

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Looks like you got it aligned pretty nicely! Good thing it was clean, that's a lot of score reels to go thru (and steppers too I'm sure! ) Wish I had room for one of these beasts, not sure my back could take moving one either! Sweet looking game.

Thanks! It did come out pretty nice. The score reels were somewhat frozen, but
rust free. After putting the sections together, the formica had a 3/8" gap at the seem.
It took some work, but I was able to slip the front formica forward and tighten the gab,
and then removed the front cracked rubber, and custom made the front plate to erase
the gab left from moving the formica forward. Red Oak stain over Cherry got the hardwood
to match..

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The Benchmark canopies did not include the red moldings. A mom & pop vendor in Canada made that repro canopy, which is true to the original.

That vendor discontinued its repro canopy about 15 years ago. I know. I bought their last one back then. Congratulations, terrific game.

Learn things all the time in this hobby. Thank you Bruce.

Nice working machines are expensive, anywhere from $8000-20,000 depending on the MFG, condition and length (5’ or 7’). I bought the Benchmark Repro when it was released around 2002. I think it cost around $3500 if I remember correctly. Manikin arcade machines are very fun to play.

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