The Blue or Red wire !

Frickin EM rookie.

Ha poor guy. I always cringe when I hear of a game with cut wires but a part of me completely understands. You look in the backbox and it just looks like a a bunch of stuff hard wired in there. You don't know until you know. He's probably regretting it a bit now but I'm glad he asked.

No it's cool. I can take a little ribbing.

I bought my Super Spin and didn't have to take the backbox off. I bought a Little Chief a couple of weeks ago but haven't brought it home yet. I'll probably leave the backbox on though. I looked in my Super Spin right now and I see why I thought those wires were soldered on.

Yeah, they looked soldered from the top on the Jones Plugs.

Jones Plugs

I understand there may be some differences of opinion on this, but three of my EMs were shipped -- cross-country -- **head-on, everything attached as is.** The legs on too. No problemo. (But I was using NAVL.) Others insist on a detach & pallet job, though I have yet to be convinced of any necessity for this. If anyone really wants to make the case -- with evidence -- I would certainly consider it.

Ay, yay, yay! Unplug the connectors. They just pull out. Man, I cringe when I see cut wiring bundles. I've also seen several games where the base of the head was neatly snapped off because somebody didn't notice the four bolts holding the head on!

Rare Bally add a ball game- Happy Tour

ebay.com link: BALLY HAPPY TOUR VINTAGE COLLECTOR CLASSIC ARCADE PINBALL MACHINE 1964

Ehh those dried out rubbers have seen better days.

Do you think they make replacements?

It will be fun just like removing old cork valve cover gasket material stuck on for 30 years.

It's even more fun doing the oil pan gasket.

Or scraping your arteries clean after 30 years of red meat and cancer sticks

I think the Jack Daniels does a good job on that.

Whats wrong with the Atkins diet?

Nothing. And it has inspired me as to what I want for dinner tonight.

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Nothing like visual persuasion , now i am hungry for steak.

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YIKES!!.....It's time to see a doctor soon for a check up!

Coincidence
T-Bone off the grill is what my wife and I had tonite,
with baked potato and grilled onion and steamed artichokes.

T-bones were all they had in the display case, and they were skinny, like me! Fortunately they aim to please so they cut me a two inch thick porterhouse to my liking. This time I caught the guy before he trimmed that nice chunk of fat out next to the filet. Broke my heart last time that happened. He said don't you want me to trim it at all? I said nah...

Artichokes are steaming too.

Most times when I shipped with NAVL, the pins arrived just fine, undamaged,
both with legs on and head up,
or with legs on and head folded down,
or all broken down and strapped to a pallet.
But I have had a game shipped thru NAVL,
legs on and head strapped down,
that had the legs bend before my eyes
because the hauler/driver opted to take the pin off the truck
using an appliance hand truck balance the entire weight of the pin on its back legs.
Another time a pin shipped to me broken down and strapped to a pallet,
was damaged because somewhere in transit it got speared with forklift forks.
Another time a palletized pin was slightly damaged because some other heavy item
apparently slid or fell ontop of it and broke PF glass.
And once I bought a game from an operator, game was in LA at a distributor warehouse,
The operators flunky was assigned to drive to LA and pick it up and bring it back to me in Bakersfield.
He transported it with legs on and head upright and strapped the cabinet to the bed of the pick up truck,
then proceeded to drive 100 miles home via the grapevine at 50-70mph.
Unfortunatedly the head protruded above the cab of the truck and was not strapped down
and was subjected to the head winds and about 10 miles from Bakersfield,
the head was ripped off the body, bolts and all.

Tom, tell us how your Eager Beaver backglass got busted... while I eat my steak.

Sad story
That was due to a poor packing job, by the seller,
or should i say the seller's employee.
The seller is a very well known collector from Ohio,
who should have knwon better than to strap the head to the body so tight
(with backbox missing backdoor)
that the back box cracked plus the head slipped
from its postion on top of the playfield glass
that the BG shattered into pieces in transit.
Was also buying two other WMS pins from this collector at same time
and they survived intact, WMS Jolly Jokers and WMS Black Jack from the early 60s.
Fortunately another pinball buddy back east
heard my plight and was going to Yorktown or was it Allentown later that year
and he found another Eager Beaver at the show
that was actually cheaper and in better condition,
(also bought a WMS TomTom at same time)
but it did cost me another big check to NAVL.

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broken+Eager+Beaver+Backglass_(resized).jpg

That is a sad story. Pretty much why now I just prefer to have them shipped set up with legs and head on as long as it is structurally sound. STI seems to know how to wrap them and take care of them like that. Like Rat said, they can then move it like a fine piece of furniture. I'm sure if they really try they can screw them up anyway.

Robert's games from Utah always came in a wood crate near indestructible. And of the quality of the games he shipped, they deserve it.

I'm sure that if you do this enough times, you are bound to get bit by all these manner of mishaps, or others not recounted above -- no matter what freight Co. handles the shipment. That's why full insurance is a must. I've done this 8 times now, and had my first Ins. claim this last time out. It's debatable as to whether that transit damage was worse, vs. the serious misrepresentation of "collector grade" status by the seller. (I think the supposed eBay "Buyer Protection" guarantee is not really worth much, when you get down to it, and so I think I'd rather take my chances with other venues -- such as the Marketplace *here*.) Otherwise, that has really put me OFF of further via-eBay purchases, and led me to reconsider a friend's strong bias in favor of only buying locally. But, of course, that does limit your opportunities . . . .

Brian: unfortunately nothing is indestructible, but I have been very lucky during the past 15 years shipping my pinball machines by Pilot Freight Services (including foreign countries), Forward Air, ABF and sometimes STI/NAVL/CRST/Beltmann (not mandatory with this company) protected into wood crates . I cross my fingers and knock on wood hoping to have same luck during the next 15 years.

Robert Urbanowicz
PINBALLMANIA LLC
www.pinballmania.com
www.facebook.com/pinballmaniallc

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I'm guessing whatever is in those boxes are real treasures.

I think we know who is taking care of those.

Top... Men.

Am I missing something ? $6000 ? Leaving scratches on cabinet adds to value but same isn't true for totally redoing the playfield ? You spent $3500 on clear coating the playfield and replacing some parts ? What ?

ebay.com link: ebay.com

This 1976 Bally Captain Fantastic Pinball is 100% perfect. The Playfield has a brand-new top finished like a bowling alley better than new every target brand new all the rubber brand new. This machine plays better than it did when it was new because everything on the Playfield has been replaced after a new top Playfield was refinished. The reason why I say it plays better than new because when it was new Bally never finished their tops like a bowling alley. I left the case original so you have paint ware and scratches on the outside case. It takes away from the value of the machine if you paint the outside cabinet but it's in amazing condition for a 1976 actually I've never seen one in this condition. This machine is well worth how ever high the bid goes. The playfield alone cost me $3500 to recondition. Whoever gets this pinball will be getting the nicest Elton John Captain fantastic in the country.

I like 'em cleared... it really is better than new if done professionally.

But no cab repaint? Not a full-rebuild w/all-new lamp sockets? For $6000?

Nah.

+1 - New lamp sockets & fuse holders or no deal.

ebay.com link: Hi Diver Gottlieb 1959

Working condition - yeah right!

The lights work!

Noticed no daylight photos on the Capt. Fan.....
Darkness hides a lot.

Maybe . . . but beware of crappy home-brew attempts at clearcoating -- especially in tandem with crappy touch up work. (Which also needs to be done by a pro, someone with the talents of an artist, who takes pains to match the original artwork.) Anyway, I thought that clearcoat done to EMs was quite the rarity ? (Much like there are no CPR-type replacement playfields made for EMs . . . . )

Never really a fan of the Captain -- either version.
For this theme, I will gladly stick with Bally Wizard!

Agreed... don't seal in poor artwork and stick with a professional auto-grade process!

In 2013, I saw my first cleared EM at the Houston Arcade Expo. It was beautiful, fast, and nothing like I'd ever seen before. That was the moment I decided to take a risk and have all of my EM's cleared despite wildly varying opinions.

Would I regret it later? Would it destroy the value? Would it play correctly?

I knew I HATED cupped inserts. That was my main motivation to find a solution. I did manage to replace all of the inserts (and re-decaled/spot cleared them) on a Doozie. It was very difficult to get the inserts totally flat but it did play wonderfully afterward. If clear coat hadn't been invented, I'd likely be obsessively popping and regluing inserts today.

I'm barely halfway through getting my collection finished and now have a room full of playable games. Roughly 2/5ths are cleared... the rest are original. The verdict is unanimous. All of the "VECTORIANS" here strongly prefer the look and feel of a cleared EM. Also less maintenance to do... no need to wax! An occasional shot of Novus 2 with a microfiber towel is all you need.

The EM winners from VECTOR at TPF were both cleared. Encouraging, no?

For us, it is The Way... and it can turn a not-so-good original into a dazzling restoration. As well as protect the artwork for generations to come.

Like Daltrey over John .

alarm bells ringing

ebay.com link: Gottlieb 51 Glamor woodrail toughest pinball machine to find Rarest of the rare

I wonder if that Glamor is the one in the ad pics.

For some reason I'm a little skeptical.

that glamor is pictured at pinrescue in Pa... if it was the one sold a few months back for 15k you would think the new owner would post his own pictures? not reuse the pinrescue ones. or it is someone scamming using old pictures...... beware smells fishy to me

And this makes no sense whatsoever-

" 1951 Gottlieb Glamor
I have looked at tuition prices and wondered if I'm buying the University or just paying to go there! "

that old line...ha good one?

And how is he going to fit the machine in an envelope anyway for that free first class shipping?

i just placed a bid of $50,000

the funny thing is the description is word for word the same as the pinrescue auction up to the point where he gives you his email and wants 3k now under his terms....... if I had to bet money I would say it is a scam

Yep scam. Look at this

ebay.com link: itm

Zero feedback seller. Same wording "available for $3000". "Contact me before bidding"

Avoid that Glamor auction at all costs

I suspect that you email the random gmail address provided in the glamor and TOM auctions and then they try to convince you to wire money to Nigeria or their cousins account or whatever.

Greed and the prospect of a really good deal can lead any of us to do stupid things.

↑↑↑I will see your non Em and raise a non Em Chick inspired Black Knight with a little sum in sum in

ebay.com link: 1980 Williams BLACK KNIGHT Pinball Machine GRC Feature Call the Price Police

gone which is good..i was prepared to bid whatever it took to make sure nobody got burnt.

it just got a $20,000 bid from my account..would of bid more but wont allow