Space Shuttle
Williams, 1984Documenting a Hardtop Space Shuttle and cabinet refresh. It will get new rails, plastics, ramp, displays, CPU, and more.
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98945D2B-56DE-4B2E-B001-69CDBF2D3B37 (resized).jpeg27114FB7-B16E-439E-A482-D56656606933 (resized).jpegC5FAB254-570E-4D2F-AA4F-7089A7ECDA53 (resized).jpeg13CE286A-92A0-4BDA-AEFF-7A46474086FC (resized).jpeg25D57385-31CE-4E27-8C87-E9E5ECA7A3DB (resized).jpeg3A5C9113-B881-41DC-ABB5-FA4355A42906 (resized).jpegQuoted from jjga:Nice start and good luck with the restoration. Slightly, OT, how do you like the swisstrax system in your garage?
It’s Racedeck in my garage but I love it. I did U-Coat it when that was hot in 2005 when I built the garage. It didn’t hold up. I wanted RD and should be done it right the first time. Swisstrax is nice too but RD was cheaper and didn’t get send me samples after multiple promises. So they lost out. I’ve seen it first hand and it is nice.
That’s one of the nicest original playfields I’ve seen on a space shuttle, shame to see it sanded off for a hardtop.
A little teaser of what’s to come soon. Not much progress on the shuttle today as I needed to change oil in the wife’s buggy and help out a very good friend. At least the wife didn’t bend the running boards again. Apparently there is a 350lb weight limit.
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The supervisor is resting after the tear down. She has cancer but doing ok. We love her and she’s doing ok.
I get asked about parts on hand. I now keep a lot on hand. Here’s just one of my common parts bins.
Shooter was ultrasonic’d and rebuilt with a new sleeve, springs, washers, E clip, and Titan tip.
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I’m still cleaning and sourcing parts like this bottom cabinet speaker. Not sure if we are going with a kit or just a speaker swap.
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A couple hard top tips I've learned that you are past already but might be useful to someone thinking about doing one and looking at your great thread:
1. Blue taping holes and other stuff is pretty much a waste, you're going to clean the backs of inserts again anyway and you're going to replace all the coil sleeves and go through the back side pretty well so you can clean up what dust does get on the back side with a vacuum and soft hair brush
2. Don't bother clear coating inserts or the shooter lane, just dry sand up to 3000 grit, it looks almost indistinguishable and you don't have to wait days for the clear to gas off or risk screwing up your nicely sanded playfield and inserts.
3. When cleaning the shooter lane, sand down with 60/80 grit first and wipe between every couple passes with naptha, then sand again. Makes it come out a lot cleaner looking as a final product.
4. Get a benchtop 8" grinder, mount it on a stand and get medium and soft buffing wheels. Only use a dremel for hard/unsafe to get areas. You can buff out ramps, wire guides, posts, rollover wires, etc super fast. I mostly end up using green compound, just use black when the green doesn't take it off much. You can get a nice consistent mirror finish on most pieces you can visually see on the playfield.
Cost saving materials:
Sanding pad kit up to 3k grit for 5" hook and loop:
https://www.amazon.com/STEAD-FAST-Sandpaper-Assortment-Automotive/dp/B08NSL9Z1D/
Buffing compounds:
More abrasive:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD35Y
Less abrasive:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD35C
He did a fantastic job as always. He’s done quite a few.
It’s now ready for me to get to work.
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Removed the crusty old GI lamp holders.
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New ramp and test fitting.
Lockdown bar cleaned up with new decal, brass screws, and handle cover.
B5803A64-A634-423A-AADF-2CE5F79D8C55 (resized).jpegBCB4088C-C195-4EEA-BA61-C500AC7448E0 (resized).jpeg8AE14F56-CB1B-492E-8DC9-F9B82F75FFA8 (resized).jpeg8CE82AC3-E25A-4FA0-AF9E-8A71312874B1 (resized).jpegI get asked a lot how often to change the ultrasonic fluids. This was clean at the start of cleaning this machine. And it wasn’t dirty or nasty at all. Just goes to show how things look clean but aren’t. So the answer is change it when it loosen muddy like this.
Flipper post assembly is almost done. Waiting on a new release coil. It has a new plastic for the top that you see whilst playing.
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Backbox light board is getting stripped to be painted.
New GI lamp sockets and ground braid ran.
Coin door getting cleaned up. R&R is still in business in my town. My Getaway came from them too.
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Stand up targets will be getting decals.
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I wish I could do this like you do. Every game I touch for restoration I fall in love with and cant sell. I'd love to offer a service for people to keep games alive but they would never get them back from me.
This looks amazing. Just curious. Did the ramps come with the flaps riveted on or did you get new ramp flaps and rivet them yourself? If so, did you consider going stainless or not? I ask because the games I have done I swapped out to stainless and never looked back. Not a knock at all the game came out beautifully.
Quoted from GreenMachine19:This looks amazing. Just curious. Did the ramps come with the flaps riveted on or did you get new ramp flaps and rivet them yourself? If so, did you consider going stainless or not? I ask because the games I have done I swapped out to stainless and never looked back. Not a knock at all the game came out beautifully.
This was how it came with the ramps riveted.
Quoted from phillyfan64:Looking great Dave. One of my favorite games. I wish I had the room for one.
Well, we will have another nice one coming soon that will be for sale. It won't be getting this all out treatment though. Just in case you find room. 
Quoted from dmacy:Well, we will have another nice one coming soon that will be for sale. It won't be getting this all out treatment though. Just in case you find room.
Yup for sure, actually have 2 more in the works, not total restores but great players, in decent shape, Playfields are too nice to Hardtop. One will be at Allentown for sure Dmacy and I actually will have 4 of these when its all said and done, Yikes
Long Time shuttle-head here, just wanted to chime in and say great work and thanks for sharing your restoration ride with us. I've had my shuttle 25 plus years and went through restoration and hardtop about 3 years ago. I can truly appreciate the effort you're throwing into this game. Clear ramp, black pop skirts and the translucent rubbers... all excellent choices. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Good luck with the rest of the build.
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Atlanta, GA
