Just completed a resto of this wonderful machine which has been the pride of my collection-for sheer engineering excellence and visitor interest and play.

The machine had significant cabinet bumps, bruises & gouges, and at some point the pin head had been painted a non original colour, so a full repaint and re-stain was deemed necessary. The operational mechanisms also needed a preventative refresh.

The comparison to restoring a pinball machine is quite stark. There is a significant amount of work involved. But I want to give sincere acknowledgement to Chris Pfleger of St Louis Ball Bowlers. He has provided great support with his guidance and fantastic historical perspectives. At one point I thanked him for the immediacy and strength of his support and his reply was: “If its good enough for you to restore the machine its good enough for me to help you”. That is the calibre of a man for which our hobby should be so grateful.

First task was to dismantle the machine and produce stencils of the cabinet and the pin head cover (both mirror reversible).

canon16092018 003 (resized).JPG

canon16092018 004 (resized).JPG

canon13102018 009 (resized).JPG

canon20092018 005 (resized).JPG

canon13102018 010 (resized).JPG

Various aspects of the cabinet, lanes and pin reset board required structural remediation using pva wood glue.

canon05112018 001 (resized).JPG

Concurrently I started work on cleaning and adjusting the score reels-24 in total and a big task. These are notorious for the ratchet levers becoming seized with solidified grease and mine were no exception. Indeed I am surprised any of these score reels actually worked given the level of seizure. But I am very impressed with the design of the United score reels. They are very easy to remediate and operate very precisely.

canon08122018 011 (resized).JPG

canon08122018 020 (resized).JPG

All stepper units and relay banks were cleaned, adjusted and checked for discrete operation.

canon08122018 019 (resized).JPG

All stained cab areas were re-stained and cleared. Cab and pin hood were resprayed.

canon08122018 007 (resized).JPG

canon08122018 017 (resized).JPG

canon05112018 005 (resized).JPG

The bowling lanes were removed, cleaned, waxed and switches cleaned and checked for adjustment. A slight warping of lanes was resolved by inserting a support brace after clamping the lanes.

canon08112018 001 (resized).JPG

canon08112018 007 (resized).JPG

canon08112018 006 (resized).JPG

canon08112018 010 (resized).JPG

The bowling pin area was in a poor state with a couple of bowties broken and every pin split.

BB30 (resized).jpg

This area was completely rebuilt. At some point connectors had been inserted during a pin reset motor service. I decided to leave those connectors but serviced the motor armature. This area came up quite nice.

canon10112018 006 (resized).JPG

canon08122018 006 (resized).JPG

The pin head metal shield was badly dilapidated from years of ‘hits’ and was replaced using a local sheetmetal supplier.

canon10112018 007 (resized).JPG

The cabinet included a hack which had sought to bypass two burnt out jones connections. This had apparently occurred due to ‘dual’ power fuses being wrongly inserted at some point. The male and female 12 point jones plugs were replaced and the wiring wax lace taped. Always so good to remove hacks!

canon14102017 012 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 002 (resized).JPG

canon08122018 014 (resized).JPG

The ball elevator motor and complete mechanism was removed, cleaned and serviced.

canon08122018 013 (resized).JPG

All rubbers were repaired, replaced, serviced.

canon08122018 012 (resized).JPG

At the completion of the resto I found during testing that frequently resets would not take place after a second ball. Checking the bank reset column 1-10 switches and the 1st & 2nd ball relay switches confirmed all ok. The problem was a detached soldered wire on one of the seven switches at the end of the playfield which signals 1st or second ball played. This must have occurred on re-assembly.

canon17122018 004 (resized).JPG

Final pics of completed resto. Machine plays and looks quite nice.

canon17122018 008 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 009 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 010 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 011 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 017 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 012 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 014 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 016 (resized).JPG

canon17122018 015 (resized).JPG

Thks for your kind comments dhutton

Thks Alex. I am not aware of any others over here but they must be somewhere!

This machine was imported to Australia by a car/parts importer-it actually came out of Ca. Worked well because he was only about 90mins from me. He wanted to fill a container so that also worked out great for me.

It was so enjoyable to undertake this resto. I have great admiration for the design & capability of these EM bowlers- 6 player and 7 different ways to play is to me amazing. But I have also developed great respect for the United design & calibre of components which I believe are top notch.

I am not conversant with that specific machine or your machine length but a socket set alone should do the trick (to remove the cabinet) apart from removing the male jones plugs and the in-lane connectors. But to be sure take along some other basic tools ie pliers, screwdrivers, shifters. I would really recommend you obtain Clay Hurrells' ball bowler Top 8 DVD. It really gives a great orientation to ball bowlers and shuffle alleys if you are doing a resto.