Documenting a Hardtop Space Shuttle and cabinet refresh. It will get new rails, plastics, ramp, displays, CPU, and more.

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Cabinet disassembly.

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Cabinet stripped.

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Topside playfield tear down 1:

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Topside 2:

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Topside teardown 3:

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These are likely original. Check your pop bodies!

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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.

You’re not looking very closely. It isn’t the worst, but it’s worn pretty good.

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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Now that cabinet is stripped down, 80spit is already working on prepping it.

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We are now stripped down.

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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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Mechanisms part 1:

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Mechanisms part 2:

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Playfield is getting prepped courtesy of 80spit

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Hardtop about ready…

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80spit has it cleared and lining it up. It looks great!

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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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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Pop bumpers with clear bodies and black skirts.

Removed the crusty old GI lamp holders.

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Insert cleaning. My ears aren’t quite that bad.

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New shuttle.

New ramp and test fitting.

Lockdown bar cleaned up with new decal, brass screws, and handle cover.

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Ball guides regrained and installed. Have most of the posts installed while some are still tumbling. They’ve been running for 7 days straight!

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Chrome from Chris at sc93cobra has arrived and looks great.

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I 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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Tonight was installing the new stand up targets, ball lane switch wire forms, wire managers, soldering the GI new lamp sockets and ground braid for them.

Stand up targets will be getting decals.

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Using owners idea, we found a way to hide the post under the clear ramp using a black Titan sleeve.

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Coil came to finish the completed pop up center post.

Clear ramp is test fitted after new wire gate and leaf switch installed.

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Ramp and plastics mostly in. When the new black ibis rails come, this will really come together.

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Still making progress. The Titan order came so I could get the special post sleeves.

The Pinball Pro speaker kit came.

80spit has the base cabinet stripped.

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Switch harness is laid in. New pop spoons. It’s was well past their time.

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Cleaned up the leaf switches with Brasso. Adjusted after installation.

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Switch harness.

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Lamp harness mostly completed. Ran out of some LED’s.

How it is today. Not bad for 12 days in. 80spit got right to work on the Hardtop to keep things moving.

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This was how it came with the ramps riveted.

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.

New shuttle is installed with the ramp.

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New target decals installed.

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Playfield close to being ready. 15 days!!!!

Tilt ball assembly cleaned and tumbled. Much better.

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Yeah I’m already sighting them in lol!

Wolfpac displays in white with fresh paint and new decals. Hardware tumbled. The insert LED’s for the bottom are incoming.

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Soldering up the last less flippers. Putting some protection on the coil lugs here at the 3 drop target assembly.

Clear tubing replacing the yellowed.

Underside done less flippers and tidying up wiring.

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Here’s a great side by side of a Hardtop and nice original.

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GI tested and good. Apron light in cool white and blue star post lights that you can’t see from pics too. They can be removed easily if not liked.

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Inserts tested and all working too. Phew!

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Sorry it’s been a little quiet. 80spit and I had the urge to harvest some vermin. If you think pinball is fun, you should try this.

Should be back to the action this week.

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New board from DumbAss looks fantastic as always with all the improvements. Can’t wait to test it playing.

New rails from ibis look and fit perfectly. The black rails tie it together.

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Thanks Tom!

The new coin door skin is installed with new diagnostic decal. The old one wasn’t too bad but not perfect with a few dents.

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The flipper mechs are here and installed. So was able to get the flipper bats with the black Titan rings on.

It’s finally off the rotisserie!

80spit is getting the cabinet ready. Shuttle launch incoming soon.

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The decals are an issue. Apparently the scaling is wrong. So will work on a solution. Unfortunately, this is the reason I’m getting out of this work.

Lol no one cares.

Great news. 80spit has secured another set. At this point he’s got a lifetime UNO’s membership.

Yes, it is populated which is added costs and timeframe. He would be who you'd want to talk to for details. But you could build yourself too. I don't have the time or comfort doing it myself. And there's options. But his boards are the best and original design but improved.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/dumbass-test-and-reproduction-pcbs

Not even close.

We are learning that width issue now lol! Hope to have some measurements when we have both sets. Hoping it will save someone in the future.

Head is done. Thank you 80spit for getting it done despite the issues.

Getting excited to see this playing now. Enjoying some Monkeys sent to me from another awesome person. Thank you as you know who you are.

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Cabinet has been decaled! Huge thanks to Gerry for plowing through the cabinet and the challenges. Started the bottom cabinet. Leg protectors behind the new beautiful chromed legs from Hot Rod Arcade. Should have the cabinet finished over the weekend.

It will get new ground braid before I do any more assembly. It came out great.

If anyone needs a new set of the wide decals, reach out to me or spikelou2 via PM. Myself and 80spit have the wide decals. Classic Arcades has the correct “narrow” version. They look great too.

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I have an Easter egg for Spyderturbo007 in one picture.

Also the coin door trim and skin are new. Really makes a difference.

She’s resting from the work she’s done today.

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Thank you. Gerry and I try to make the work we do look great.

The main cabinet is done. Have some work on the backbox to go. The chrome looks fantastic with the blue. Chrome on a Space Shuttle is fire as the kids say.

Should have some more progress tomorrow…

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Yep! The new board from Victor already has the option.

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Cabinet is about ready for the playfield.

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Backglass is in but will get replaced with a better one that he has.

Playfield laid in…

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Wow just realized it’s been exactly a month. Two things, well maybe three. I don’t usually do restorations as I mostly do playfield swaps. This is probably a record (note that there’s still testing and tweaks). And most importantly, I couldn’t have done this without 80spit help. This one needed more than I usually handle on my own.

The NASA speaker panel is in.

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The Super Space Shuttle is completed! It has new backglass and a Voodoo glass too. What a great playing game. It plays even better than it looks. Had to tweak a few switches but plays great right out of the box.

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Huge thanks to 80spit for his help and all the work he put into it. And thanks to spikelou2 for your patience.

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I think this one is a wrap until it gets back to its new home. Will continue to play test but 3 hours last night and not a hiccup. Also not a high score! It’s FAST!

Oh and a good look of the boards. DumbAss with all options is extremely clean and works perfect.

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Thank you and it had challenges but it looks great and very happy it made it safe and sound. Enjoy!!!

The owner had it and we transferred it over from his other machine. I’m not sure if you can still get them or where to get them.

Thanks for sharing who makes/made it. I think it goes great with the game and like it.