Woohoo, in the club with my first pinball machine! Picked Vector (having never actually played it before) because the layout seemed interesting, and the multiball "goal" seemed fun, and the cabinet side art was mostly black (I was hoping it would be a match for my interior decor). So far, I think it's my favorite early 80s pinball that I have played. I probably paid a bit too much for a game of this vintage, but I wanted one in good condition because I am new at this.

To be honest, I am slightly intimidated at the thought of maintaining a Pinball machine. I've never been super mechanically inclined for various reasons. Right away, I think that I need to swap the plastic covers for the slingshots with one another since they were installed backwards and replace the upper playfield flipper bat with a mini one which I assume will be pretty easy to do. Baby steps, I guess.

Anyway, this is a super subjective / silly question, but what pinballs do you think would pair well "thematically" with Vector? I'm thinking that I will want to have exactly two pinball machines eventually for my living room. I was originally going to go with a Data East Jurassic Park mostly because of the black cabinet side art, and it's common-ish, but I am wondering if I can find something better to sit right next to my Vector

Xenon maybe? Black cabinet.. Double backglass. Sci-fi...

Hello Im lookinf for a good quality playfied scanned file because myone is ruined.
If you have please let me know.
Thanks
Baz

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OUCH!

Can someone scan me the text area in front of the 4 HYPE targets?

TIA

@ vid I can snap a pic if that helps?

That'd be great!

Please make it as square to the table as possible, as I need to match the font.

I need the orange HYPE below the stand up targets and the smaller yellow text to the right of that.

I was bribed with a totally destroyed Vector...and all of that text is covered with black epoxy goo.

Thank you .

If you pm email I can also email

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Wunderbar !!!!

Exactly what I needed.

Good job, and thank you

OMG it has been so long since I have seen those words and fonts intact.
Amazing!

The power of Mylar.....

I even dropped a dime!

My vector game keeps repeating the word vector when I start a game. Any idea what would cause that?

Check stuck shooter-lane switch.

New vector owner checking in! I just read through the thread but I didn't see, what aspects of the game do the "home roms" change other than adding more speech?

There are some "Skill" shot awards add to the game...

Thanks , I will check that today.

So I am a very side pinball tech more of a parts changer really - got a random call guys vector was not working wanted some help. MPU has plenty of battery damage playfield is worn and a few displays are likely out.... What's this game selling for as a project - does it have a following - wondering if he should list it or start buying parts he has plenty of money but does not want to go past $500 in parts.... And I suspect he will be chasing gremlins for a bit on it

$160 for a new mpu

https://nvram.weebly.com/new-pcbs.html

Then you can boot it up and run the diagnostics

Thanks vid I found your toilet bowl cleaner thread - and it sort of changed my life - waiting on my GPE order and this thing is going to boot on up! $5.00 for parts hot damn got everything bad off the board only one eyelet pulled so gives me plenty of room to get additional stuff and this machine living again.

Can you buy Mirror Blades anywhere for Vector?
I think it would look good with them.

Finally in the club! Before I post any pictures, I want to get this machine back together.

Can someone let me know if this Vectorscan entry wire should be straight or offset (mine is offset). My brain says straight. Looks like photos show straight. I wouldn't be surprised if someone bent it to compensate for a switch issue.

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Vector
Gate Wire:
M-1272-52 is drawn as completely flat. No forward or backward bend.

Yes, I straightened it before I installed it. I found a few more photos to verify that it was straight. Thanks for the response.

When I start a game it ejects two balls in the shooter lane. What would cause that?

Outhole switches not adjusted... check 2nd backup switch assembly...
the bracket gets hit and miss adjusted from the front cabinet receiver.

Thanks! I’ll check that

Shop out of my new Vector continues. Got the new defender drops installed last night. What a difference!

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WOW, that section of the playfield is very nice.

Thank you! The whole playfield in general is pretty nice, much better than your average Vector at least. A couple wear spots by the HYPE targets as you'd expect and just a little bit down in the multiplier area, those are the 2 worst things. I just got done polishing the playfield in that picture too so it looks extra good. One more set of flippers to rebuild, and I accidently cracked my new Z target, but once thats patched up, its about time to start repopulating the top. I'm putting in a playfield protector as well

Looks a lot better with new targets

I'm thrilled to join the club. I have been wanting a Vector for a while and another Pinsider got me a lead on one that needed a lot of love. The playfield has quite a bit of wear, but everything is intact. Here is a before picture of the playfield to give you and an idea of the condition. Believe it or not, the MPU had a battery from 1986 installed and there was only minor acid damage. I usually spend hours repairing MPUs and stitching traces from acid damage. Both 6 digit displays are crap and I have one 7 digit with a burnt segment.

I need to order new drop targets and clean -rebuild the mechanisms. Also, I cleaned the flipper mechs and EOS pieces. Those are getting rebuilt too.

I'm not very fond of the coil used for the upper flipper. Even with the EOS setup to cut power early, it is still crazy powerful. Does anyone have any recommendations for a different coil? Maybe an AQ-26-600 / 34-4500. The primary coil is 5 ohms instead of 3ish.

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Selling a nice Vector, 2 door version with bill validator and coin tray. See the marketplace.

That Vector playfield is one of the nicest, clean, art aliened plafields I have ever seen.

Finally finished up my Vector refurb tonight. Well, basically finished. Still a couple minor switch tweaks and whatnot but she's back together and looking good! Stripped the top side and polished it, polished all the metal ramps and guides, new rubbers w/ titans on the flippers. All new drop targets. Rebuilt the flippers (still linear style, sorry Vid). Put in a playfield protector. All LED GI. Fixed some cold solder on the boards and added NVRAM. Fixed a ton of blown out screw holes, replaced a few drywall screws with the proper hardware, and just tons of little stuff. This game is really neat though and it was a fun little project! Shes far from perfect but its defintely looking good for a vector!

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Looks great.

Hi y’all, picked up a Vector (my first machine!) about two weeks ago. It’s in pretty decent survivor condition with the two front doors. There’s no bill validator in the left door, just a blank.

I’ve replaced the rubbers and all but one bulb (I didn’t know I needed 444s for the chase lights). Next is wax and new balls.

I had a couple questions for anyone who may know…

1. My posts around the thumper bumper have various sized spacers - one missing, one 7/16 and I can’t remember the other one. What are they supposed to be?

2. I need new locks. It looks like the left coin door uses a 1 1/8” lock with a straight cam, which is different from the right door which uses a 7/8” lock with an offset cam. The backbox uses 1 1/8. Sanity check?

3. In the three kickers in the upper right corner, the topmost one sticks (kicker stays extended) and the bottom one is too weak to launch the ball. Any ideas?

4. I know someone asked about this years ago, but does anyone have the middle plastic with the Addam’s Family for sale?

5. Favorite playfield angle?

6. Anything I can do for you? Need any pics? I’ve seen lots on here already that both look worse and better than mine so I didn’t see a reason…

A: The plastic piece has three supports.
---a; Two sets are metal post with plastic grey spacer on top.
---b: One piece a tall grey post for the backside of the cover plastic.
---c: In all, the top plastic pop cover piece should be flat and even when mounted correctly.

A: I would clean and lightly grease the assembly...
---a; A little liquid lube can be used on the pivot shafts..

A: Please, post a picture of your game!

Thanks. I’m missing (b). Is (b) plastic, and do you know how long either (a) or (b) are? Mine are mismatched and I don't know which is correct.

I hope this helps...
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Here are some including the double coin door. I have more. I am new to pinball ownership but I think it’s a reasonably clean survivor.

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That is excellent. Thanks. I recently replaced all my rubber and tried playing tonight. The ball got stuck here. Any opinions? Maybe because I have the wrong post? Shallow playfield angle?

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The flat ball guide rail wall [ #A-3032-102 ] should fit up to the half way point on the rubber ring.
The ball should roll down the ramp at that point...
Note: your Vector is in really good shape.
Fix Notes:
1) Upper right screw should be on the other side of the plastic... (next to the 2-way saucer).
2) Z,W,X, target uses two rubber rings.
-- 2a, You still have the #555 lamp shade sleeves that are behind the X,Y,Z, targets...
--- Major Awesome!!!! The sad part is that they get destroyed from ball hits.
--- I would remove them and paint the #555 lamps blue...
--- Side Note: Many years ago a used a router to re-cut the lamp sockets to sit
--- farther back from the X,Y,Z, drop targets.
3) double also the 1" rubber rings on the mini flippers; the front tips break from ball hits.
Over all really nice game... Thanks for posting the pictures of your Bally Vector.

Ok, went to take a look.

0) The rail guide does not look damaged or moved, and the post has not moved, so I’m not sure what to do except maybe get thinner rubber for that post. This isn’t the one that’s supposed to be the tall gray post is it?
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1) OK, but then why is there a hole in the plastic? Screw should go through it or it should use a post and rubber nut, no? Or am I looking at the correct screw? Even though I’m confused, good news. I found my missing spacer behind the adjacent plastic! Are we talking about the same screw (circled in red, second photo)?
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2. I added the second ring on the XYZ bank. Looks right? Good idea about the colored lamps. But I think I’ll get red to replace the color they were behind the shades and put the shades away for safekeeping.
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3. I will order more of the 1” rings. I only bought a single kit.

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