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Bally Space Invaders Restore

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Strangeways:

Background


Bally Space Invaders was one of my "all time" Favorite Pinballs from the Golden era of Solid States. Dad and I pickup up a shipment of NIB Bally pins when I was kid in 1979 or 80 - I can't remember.. The shipment included Paragon, KISS X 2, Mata Hari X ?? and a Space Invaders. We took them home in the truck and unboxed them. They were stripped of their playfield parts and contact was placed on their playfields (same as the book covers used in libraries - mylar did not exist yet). The parts were re assembled and the machines were on location within a week. Paragon sat next to the Space Invaders in a cafe near my place.. These two machines needed to be emptied TWICE a week in the early days.. I had already developed a "soft spot" for Paragon, but I was a little "frightened" by the Spacies.. I do remember the playfield glass exploding in Dad's hands one Sunday morning. The first of many !

The Paragon sits in my gamesroom. Both Kiss machines are in the garage (stored). Dad sold the Space Invaders YEARS ago. But I really wanted one, just to re unite the Spacies and the Paragon in my gamesroom, and to remind me of the old days...

For a few years, I kept my eye out for a nice Spacies, but really never found one that I liked. Then I got a phone call from a guy in a cafe in Melbourne.. He had a space Invaders machine and he wanted to sell.. So I agreed to buy it.. But it was in storage and he needed to get to it. When he was able to - he would call me... Months passed - no call - So I called him - It was still there, but he "forgot" the price, and added a couple hundred on to it.. I agreed, and then waited for his call to pick it up.. I waited, and waited, then I called him.. Long story short - he sold it.. So I missed out - after being told it was mine ..

Wotto went on his infamous "Pinball Purge", and sold a Black Knight, Flash and Gorgar ?... and I knew he had a space Invaders he was having trouble with... So I TWISTED his arm... MANY TIMES.... Over and Over.... Until he finally agreed to part with it ! A friend of mine wanted Wotto's TIME WARP, so I helped him out and Wotto sent the Space Invaders and the Time Warp via a transport company..

Finally, I had that elusive Space Invaders....


Initial Pictures


Here's a couple of pictures the day it arrived (some 2 years ago);





Fair enough - nothing exciting here - But Wotto did a GREAT job packing the machine for me and it arrived safely..


What an AWESOME Backglass !!





Playfield was REALLY good - Wotto did all the HARD work of removing the mylar (Yipee!)





Box of spares and the legs... Wait until I post pictures of the power supply....  #@#





Playfield is in GREAT Shape !





Machine assembled - just for a quick peek..





Condition

Backglass 10/10 - Spacies backglasses (inner and outer) are always PERFECT
Playfield 8/10 - Mylar was removed, nice plastics set, bumper caps and targets were already sourced by Wotto..Only wear was around the centre
Cabinet 8/10 - Paintwork was fine, but there were a few "dings" in the corners and some work that needed to be done..
Electronics 6/10 - Power supply was a Frankenstein, Displays needed to be fixed, and all the boards ended up having some work done to them.

Overall - I was stoked to have a Space Invaders from Wotto - as we both contributed to its restoration.. That will become apparent as the thread progresses. This machine is finished, but I thought I'd document this here as I was very thorough with my notes and pictures !

More later !

Retropin:
One of the most awesome looking pins ever...looking forward to more updates

Creech:
Do you still have the machine Nino?

pinnies4me:
Thanks for that Nino, I have a fascination with this game, enjoyed the pictures.

Now, given my well-publicized view of ESB game play (which was copied from this game) - can you give me some thoughts on the game play on SI??? I recall it as OK back in the day, but 20-odd years have a way of distorting memory...

Strangeways:

--- Quote from: Creech on December 28, 2008, 12:44:06 AM ---Do you still have the machine Nino?

--- End quote ---

No. The game spooked my wife - She hated the entire theme of the game and the backglass in particular. My son loved it, but he also had nightmares about it. I sold it to a Collector, who incidentally, bought my restored Jacks Open and Strikes and Spares. I also restored his Genie.

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