Author Topic: Ace High Restoration  (Read 1414 times)

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mark jackson

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Ace High Restoration
« on: March 03, 2012, 03:25:44 PM »
Hi everyone, It's been a while since I posted anything.... but I've been working on a Gottlieb 1957 "Ace High". I'll try a few pics and then say what's been happening.

mark jackson

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2012, 03:31:22 PM »
........ these three pics show how this machine was when I got it. As you can tell, it's been painted over, and there's no Gottlieb sign (between the flippers). Also, the art work has ben changed alot on the girls legs. Also there are a lot of cracks in the mylar on and near the lights for the targets.

I decide I couldn't stand it and I took the mylar off, and then removed all the car paint which had been done. When I did, it looked like this!!!! Shock and horror!!!

mark jackson

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2012, 03:35:38 PM »
...........I'm not sure why someone would want to scrub out the Gottlieb sign, and re-design the art work on this great game......... So I redid the artwork and put back the Gottlieb sign (decal). It now looks like this.

Offline oldskool1969

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2012, 03:50:40 PM »
Nice work man , haven,t seen that pin before . What a ball tearer and dare I say risky for the time . I will look out for this as it is a nice looker and how does she play ?
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mark jackson

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2012, 03:59:29 PM »
...It took a fair while to do this artwork. My wife did the Sultan's face, and between us we did the rest. For those of you who are not familiar with this game, it's a real winner. This is how it works; It's all about the targets. Firstly, if you hit the centre of the target, you will light the Q (Queen). When you light the Q on the left and right targets, the corresponding 100,000 kicking rubber lights (they both work alternately). Lighting the L and R Queen on 1st ball really helps with score. When you light any target to the Ace, the Specials will light up (the gobble holes). If you get all three Queens, the Specials will also light up.

Q,K,A = 1 replay
3 Q's = 1 replay
3 Kings = 3 replays and 3 Aces = 8 replays ..... Yep, when you have the 3 Aces lit and drop the ball down the gobble hole/s (either one) you get an amazing 8 free games. It sounds terrific as it wacks off the 8 free games. Because the gobble holes score either 500,000 or 1 million, you could also get an extra 1 or 2 free games for score. So, it's possible to get 10 free games by just dropping the ball down the gobble hole/s.

The rollovers at bottom left and right light the pop bumpers, and with a few of these lit, the score can really mount up. When you get all 4 bottom rollovers, you get a Special when the ball drains.

Other features of note: This was the last game by Gottlieb which still had power to the flippers after the game has finished. ... On games of this era there is no End Of Game relay, and no match re-play (lucky number). .... The game is over when the 5 balls get to the ball trough. You can still make the flippers work but that's all.

I remember this game from my youth as there was one of these at the Manly Fun Pier (right where the ferries park when they arrive at Manly.)

I think this is an absolutely outstanding game. It holds up really well. It's not just a great game for its age but rather is a great game for any time. I'm really glad I decided to restore this one. Now all I have to do is find or make a proper cabinet for it. At the moment it's stuck in a multi-player cabinet which may be ok for the right sort of game but it's not right for this one. I just need to motivate myself to the cabinet issues. In the meantime I really like playing this game. It's harder than it seems to hit the targets up to the Ace and get all those free games happening.

'Ace High' was a classic from the moment it was made and after 55 years it's still a great game. Pinball with 2" flippers is still the best kind of pinball there is.

If anyone has questions about this I'm more than happy to answer them. Have a great day. Mark

Offline ralph67

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2012, 04:56:10 PM »
Nice job on the artwork! ^^^. Did you use enamels by hand and did you have to block back the art to keep it level?
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mark jackson

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2012, 05:16:09 PM »
Because I knew there was going to be a fair amount of rubbing back (block) I firstly tried to level the surface using clear coat. This works as an undercoat. I used water based paint for this, as if you make a mistake it can fairly easily be fixed by rubbing back (again). I would've rubbed it back about 40 times before it was flat. Rubbing back also helps keep the covering from getting too thick.

Offline Strangeways

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2012, 06:27:28 PM »

That's amazing detail, Mark !   @@* That was bare wood. How long did the lower section take ?

 ^^^
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Offline goodolddays

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2012, 08:48:11 PM »
That is an outstanding repair job on that playfield Mark .

I believe I recognise this game . You didn't happen to buy it from a Brisbane based dealer did you ?

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Dave
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Offline deadlydave

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2012, 09:42:53 PM »
That's an awesome restoration of the artwork by you and your wife Mark  ^^^

Offline ralph67

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2012, 11:38:18 PM »
Because I knew there was going to be a fair amount of rubbing back (block) I firstly tried to level the surface using clear coat. This works as an undercoat. I used water based paint for this, as if you make a mistake it can fairly easily be fixed by rubbing back (again). I would've rubbed it back about 40 times before it was flat. Rubbing back also helps keep the covering from getting too thick.
Thanks for the tips I've used Enamels on some playfields in the past and the the Waterbased is certainly kinder when mistakes are made .  Enamel's tend to become to thick to use quickly and require thinning down frequently. Lots of rubbing back either way! Also did you clearcoat the playfield afterwards? And the work looks sweet! nice detail :D cheers
« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 12:08:04 AM by ralph67 »
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Offline Retropin

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2012, 11:59:25 PM »
Outstanding work... i do admire your dedication... ive come to never expect something simple from you.

Where did the signature decal come from? I wish you had contacted me as i had to completely redraw this exact same ( there are quite a few variations) GOTTLIEB badge when i was drafting the GOTTLIEB neon signs... would have been happy to help out..

Gav

mark jackson

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #12 on: March 04, 2012, 02:38:05 PM »
Thanks for your comments and feedback. This was 'on the bench' for about two months. I warmed up by tackling the pop bumper rings. I've done a lot of these in the past and so they don't scare me at all. What did scare me was getting the correct art work for the girls' legs, the Gottlieb sign, and especially the Sultan's face on the playfield (which was almost all missing.)

As I said my wife Kerrie did the Sultan's face. I got a mate in the USA to send me some close-up shots of the face and the ladies' legs. I got the Gottlieb sign by this method. I took a photo of the Logo from my Queen Of Diamonds (same logo, but with different writing. I then worked on this using Microsoft Paint (believe it or not). I've since bought Photoshop but have not yet used it for anything. When I'd done about as good as I could do, I sent it to Decal Specialists. John there was real helpful and did a bit to it as well. It's not perfect as the white colour could have been more cream, and the red colour could have had a bit more 'orange' flavour to it. But that's the price I paid for not photo-shopping it all before it went to the Decal Specialists.

I've found that the hardest part of this type of resto is to keep believing in what you're doing and keep on rubbing it back and applying further coats of clear to get it really flat. There comes apoint when you can convince yourself that it's done, but then I force myself to do it another 10 times. By then it's flat enough and you can then focus on a couple of finishing coats. I didn't spray at all for this. I used very good brushes which don't leave streaks if your technique is ok. I've learnt that dipping the brush in water (then shake off most of it) lets the clear go down pretty even and free of lines and streaks. Also, as much as possible do only one or two passes with the brush. If you keep on after that the clear is already drying and it will show streaks if you keep on trying to improve it.

It's no worries if you don't like some part .... just rub it back again after it's dried and have another go. I also waxed this playfield when all was finished. ... just like they did in the good old days. I've found that waxing (beeswax) a playfield is a great way to look after it. It worked back in the 50's and 60's and it still works today.

The decal is a great option for difficult areas. If you leave a slight 'hollow' where it's going, then you clear over it when it's dried and that raises that area to the surrounding areas. .... make any sense??

Yes this game was the one that Tony, from the Pinball Shed had on Ebay last Sept. I was in the USA then but told him I'd buy it when I got back. He waited and the deal went smoothly.

I like this game very much. What I don't like is the ugly multi-player cabinet that it's in at the moment. I need to find or make a woodrail cabinet for this classic Gottlieb single-player. Anyone got a cabinet that would work?? If I have to I'll make one myself but would rather restore an old Gottlieb box/head if I can find one.

That's the short story of this resto. Still happy to answer any questions that anyone has. Every restoration is different and every one requires a specific 'battle plan' to get the job done to a good enough level. But I was always happy to do this machine as I knew it to be a 'pearler' of a game.

........... only a few weeks till the AFL starts. I'm thinking that it could be a very good year for the Sydney Swans. ... as the blind man said .."we'll see."

Offline ktm450

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2012, 06:23:19 PM »
Very nice work  ^^^

Offline ralph67

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Re: Ace High Restoration
« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2012, 09:09:02 PM »
Which brand of clear did you use on the playfield and was it from a hobby shop? Also good tip about leaving a hollow for the decal and i reckon you can't beat the old waxed playfield it really brings the colours out! Keep up the good work!..cheers Ralph
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