Yeah.. playfield pic with the glass off, please, seller..

Richard

3 months later...

Every single board needed work. Some more than others. MPU/Driver not 100% yet. I found an alternate OEM pair in the interim. Haven't even started on the playfield and cab yet...

But...

It lives.

That’s awesome! Throw a ball in there, worlds first firepower pachinko machine

what kind of displays did you use for yours ?
the red displays look good.

The wolff pac kit! Love them.

https://www.wolffpactech.com/product-page/williams-system-3-6-display-kit-red-digits

I’ll 2nd that. They really look great and are priced right!

After batting a few balls around the obstacle course of cupped inserts on this playfield and stripping the hardware to get a closer look at the wear and nicotine stains I've decided it's only possible future is as a backing for a hardtop.

Before I commit to that anyone have any thoughts on the availability/expense on a serviceable used playfield these days? The only recent ad for one was way better than mine and half the cost of a hardtop but had wear down to the wood dead center. I can touch up simpler areas and replace inserts but trying to repaint the center pattern seems like an VIP pass to the horror thread.

That depends on if you *HAVE* to have the planet area 100% correct to the original. It's actually one of the easier busy areas to touch up on a game as long as you match the colors correctly - it's so busy that yeah, if you went close up comparison next to an original, you'd spot differences, but from playing position you'd never notice, and it looks good.

You're going to have to flatten the inserts anyway if you hardtop it, which of course is easier since you can just sand away. I don't know if scratches in the inserts show through on a hardtop though.

It's easier to do hardtop than a playfield swap. You don't have to remove everything off the back of the playfield. Mine turned out great and was not as hard as you make it out to be.

Unfortunately I have to remove everything anyway. Best I can tell whoever owned the machine for most of its 40 odd years was a lifetime achievement award recipient from Phillip Morris.

The playfield components/electric are near 100% complete/working but all coated inside and out in a mix of ash and resin that releases fumes and dust whenever a part moves or gets warm. Before it comes in from the garage everything not being replaced entirely will get some combination of disassembly, cleaning, painting and tumbling.

The first time I started stripping the underside l had a dust mask on and was lightheaded after 30 minutes. Second pass was a full respirator and latex gloves.

At least I'll have a good war story when it's done.

The harder the job the more rewarding in the end.
After each one I say never again and then a year later I have the itch to do it again. Lol

That's crazy! All that said, I'd probably hit the whole playflield with a rattle can coat of clear.

A bill heatherly firepower restoration going on now.

275616228_395862969011373_2425218155997987530_n (resized).jpg

276012388_401780538419616_2343998875282166522_n (resized).jpg

276040551_401781185086218_3438485164724162041_n (resized).jpg

276136706_401781041752899_7110508331658299322_n (resized).jpg

277433186_407285354535801_8400728849662441802_n (resized).jpg

278073574_414249330506070_8557862448169070288_n (resized).jpg

278226990_417963543467982_3447975861537154263_n (3) (resized).jpg

Paint job looks great.

What is the height of the post that supports the spinner on the upper left? Are there supposed to be any washers, etc on that post? If anyone has reference photos on hoe that area is supposed to look that would help. Thank you!

I measure about 1 1/16”. No washer. Here’s pics from my machine.

08C76BAE-1C29-4763-B700-DA9D3BB84A46 (resized).jpeg

0E1A599A-5449-4F08-A865-46697C504AD5 (resized).jpeg

I should add the screw has a shoulder on it

Thank you!

Finally get to join the club after casually looking for a Firepower for over 3 years here in the UK

When I went to see the machine the seller hadn't turned it on for a couple of years, the top right eject hole was firing on boot and there was some funky stuff happening in game. Some CPU controlled lights were out on the back box and it wasn't saving settings.

I've had it home for a couple of weeks and all of these issues have been ironed out. 'Not saving settings' was just a dead CR2430 battery on the Rottendog MPU, the right eject that was firing at boot and the other funky goings on was just a coin switch that was stuck closed and the lights in the back box was just a wire that had become disconnected so it was soldered back in place.

LED's in the GI above playfield and incandescent under inserts and in the back box. I will make sure to swap out the incandescent bulbs in the back box for LED's (That is a given to protect that artwork) I haven't yet decided whether to go LED on the inserts or not. I do like having brighter inserts but feel you do loose that nice sweeping motion you get in attract mode that you get with incandescent.

Overall a nice honest Firepower in above average condition I would say. Chuffed with it.

IMG_1997 (resized).jpg

IMG_1999 (resized).jpg

IMG_2038 (resized).jpg

IMG_2047 (resized).jpg

IMG_2061 (resized).jpg

IMG_2070 (resized).jpg

IMG_2078 (resized).jpg

IMG_2079 (resized).jpg

IMG_2080 (resized).jpg

Looks good, Welcome to the club.

Bill Heatherly resto progressing

279576023_428002815797388_6874018452490226704_n (resized).jpg

Who is Bill Heatherly? Is this a before or an after of the playfield?

That came off really cleanly. Do you know what removal method they used?

He's sort of like HEP but he does arcade games, stop lights, gas pumps and many other vintage things too. His restorations are top notch. He's doing this firepower for us now.

https://www.facebook.com/arcadeartifacts

278226990_417963543467982_3447975861537154263_n (4) (resized).jpg

Sorry I do not.

Just picked up a Firepower this week. Loving this game play and sounds.

Has anyone put a playfield protector on? Mine has inserts that affect game play and this seems to be a reasonable solution.

I have one on mine. Works good for me.

Did you buy it from playfield-protectors.com? It seems like the best solution if you're not going to clearcoat or install a reproduction playfield if you have a playfield with raised or cupped inserts. The criticism I am reading most is that you can't hear the ball with one on which isn't a big deal to me. They also look really good from the pictures I've seen.

I got mine from Cointaker. Yes I did it because of cupped inserts. It is better than playing on cupped or raised inserts.

After finishing the boards on my Firepower I spent the last month waiting to see if I'd find anything useful at pinfest before I order a hardtop and the other missing parts to finish the restore. Had a great time at the show but wasn't having much luck finding anything major for the Firepower. Before I rolled out I took a final lap through the flea market hoping to spot anything I missed on the first go round and peeking out from under a stack of salvage playfields a familiar color scheme caught my eye.

Behold this... uh... beautiful example... of a Firepower 2 playfield. It was cheap so I grabbed it to use as a parts farm since they have so much overlap.

But now looking at it sitting there in my Firepower cab I can't help but think things like "Well.... some of the mechs are missing but the wiring harness seems intact... I know I've seen a Firepower with 7 digit displays at some point... I'd need to trade up to a system 7 boardset and have 2 sets of roms on a dip switch... probably just have to disconnect the backbox lights for FP2... even if I can fix the ramp there's no way I'm restoring the art... but under all that dirt the inserts are actually level... it would make a decent players condition... swap the playfields back and forth like a game cartridge..."

I'm sure someone has done something similar so any thoughts on what it would take and if it's worth it? I've played a lot of Firepower over the years but only a few games of FP2 so don't have many thoughts on the actual gameplay other than "kinda like firepower but with a ramp." I'm think this exceeds even my own gluttony for punishment but you never know.

2022-05-07 13.37.32 (resized).jpg

Picked up a Firepower at Pinfest this past weekend. Has a hardtop installed, swemmer boards. Bought the wolfpactech led kit to install. Hope to get it setup this week.

Did Firepower come with white flipper bats from factory? The reason I ask is because I'm contemplating swapping out my white flipper bats for yellow as my white bats have yellowed quite badly.

I would get new white bats but I think brand new white bats will look "too white" and "too new" sticking out like a sore thumb compared to the slightly off white original jet bumpers and other plastics.

The original flyers show white bats. The Parts Catalog Supplement 497 (Firepower) doesn’t specify the colour of the bat although it does specify the flipper rubber as red

I'm just putting a Firepower Cabinet back together. I have this part left over (jut under 8" long), can anyone identify where it goes?

20220522_191447 (resized).jpg

That piece mounts on the back edge of the cutout that the cables run through in the bottom of the backbox. The 3 screw holes are on the top (ie it’s screwed down from inside the backbox). It’ll almost be hidden in pics of the opened backbox due to the cables

598D89EF-4985-4452-BC5C-37F2B77097D6 (resized).jpeg

Manny65 Thanks much appreciated.

I'm almost ready to install my hardtop but have to deal with 4 inserts that are missing or too damaged to make nice even with a hardtop. If I needed a full set I'd just starburst everything since nobody makes the smooth triangles anymore but I just need 2 orange, 1 red, 1 green. If I have to I could even flatten/sand used ones as long as they aren't cracked/discolored. Anyone have a lead?

Probably just easier to Starburst all the triangle and be done with it.
-Mike

https://www.pinballlife.com/triangle-inserts.html

I replaced all of mine with starburst except the hotdogs. I left the originals because replacements were not available.

https://www.pinballlife.com/3-12-x-1-hot-dog-inserts-9857.html

Incase you want to update them.
-Mike

Wow, when did they start doing these in all the colors? Although like all the "new" blues, it's much less dark than the original, but probably matches the currently available blue circles much better.

Thanks for the update. Too bad nobody had them when I did my Hardtop, a couple of years ago.

After searching high and low I've accepted that's what I'll have to do. Figured out everything I need. Just debating whether to use opaque white or starbursted clears for the centerline. I've seen both in the past but can't decide. I'll probably just order both and figure it out in person. Anyone have an opinion?

Maybe this exists already but I made a spreadsheet for myself that might be useful for someone else looking to replace their inserts. If anyone spots an error let me know.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1De0QphGQSo375UzFNxSBHC3ziW07D66F6VN1aENzyAI/edit?usp=sharing

I bet clear starburst would look pretty cool on those bonus inserts. The numbers may not stand out as much as behind the opaque white ones but it's probably minor. I used opaque white in them but did change the inlanes to clear red and out lanes to clear. I put color changing leds under the clear "special" inserts to make it extra special. I also used clear eject shields in the saucers and put red leds under them that are tied to the green lock light insert bulbs.

.7 is the main (power) winding, 25 is the hold winding. sounds like your right coil is just running the hold winding.

I put together blue displays from Wolfpac, they work great. Picked up some transparent vinyl to cover up the segments while not lit. Have to get it cut and installed correctly. Game made it into the basement this weekend. Will post some pics when I have the new back glass installed.

IMG_8538 (resized).JPG

I have the red version and love them. I’m interest in what you mean about the vinyl. Can you show more about that?

It is a transparent vinyl, typically comes with other brands of LED displays. It hides the white part of the segments, so you only see the color. I bought a roll for my vinyl machine, just need to make the files and get some cut. I did just throw a piece up on the display to see how it covered, looks much nicer without seeing the white segments. I'll get some pictures posted when I get it setup.