Hi all

I am going to go backwards to move forwards a little as I know there are car and diner enthusiasts on this site so I want to show a little more of yesterday.

Here are some more shots from Petersens Auto Museum.
The place is clearly the best themed auto display I have personally seen, the cars are a mix of collectors cars who have donated them to the museum and the museums own cars.

I wanted to come here to see US vehicles that we wont ever get to see in Oz , and this place is so WELL themed and laid out in a chronological way that we got to see exactly what we expected and a LOT more.

As you will see - this section is like walking down a street with old cafe from this area ( Big Dogs ) and storefronts etc



This was the Worlds fastest car in 1393





A BMW concept vehicle





They also have various actual movie vehicles
OBVIOUS



And from Thelma and Louise



Along with loads of other Hollywood cars.

Now - listen up all you Centuar pinball machine owners and lovers - COULD THIS BABY BE the birth concept idea of your machine?
Introducing the first hybrid car in the USA - The ( you guessed it ) Centuar !



Now - the info board goes on to tell us that the designer LATER went on to design the CENTUAR 2 !
Just saying ......?


OK I trust all our forum car lovers have liked these shots




MELS Diner on Sunset is a VERY famous old time diner that has remained as it was since first built.
It has been used in MANY movies and TV shows - this particular MELS has the tables out on the street on Sunset Blvde that you WILL see in heaps of film and TV - the tables can be seen on the left in this first shot. Some of you may already recognise it



Inside is very cool with all the stock standard diner fitout stuff you expect to see.





And they have all little photo boards from films like American Grafitti around the tables - its cool , if you like this style of place.




And my side order of Chilli Cheese Fries - there goes the FARKIN diet !



We had been seeing these MASSIVE images around , and this one was taken from our table at Mels - we found out today why......more on that later.




ANYYYYYYWAAAAAY - back to some pinball action.

So after Mels we headed to the collectors place that Tony and I visited a couple of years back.
Of course , this was always going to be another sensational afternoon of pinballing and lessons in pinball history.
These guys REALLY know their history of each and every game from artwork  to styling changes in era's and gameplay and features - they are EXTREMELY devoted.

The place had changed quite a bit since I was here last and now there are even MORE games
AGAIN I state that I have Randy's full permission to show any images I want to here on our Australian forums.

When we arrived , after an hour + drive on the freeways we were greeted by Steve , who's place we visited the night before , Randy the owner and a guy named Peter Cooley ( white shirt below ) who was a VERY knowledgeable guy in all things pinball and a super nice person as well ( they all are ! )

Here is Bert telling 3 of the wisest pinball guys on the planet exactly what they should look out for when purchasing a Williams FLASH pinball machine....an area he has great expertise in let me tell you.



I guess a lot of you will recall mine and Tony's visit to Randy's a few years back - but here are some more shots from mine and Berts afternoon / night spent here yesterday.






Upstairs is now nearly full of older games - all in complete chronological order - it is really impressive , especially considering some of the titles - now mostly all working.







There isnt much missing from this incredible collection.



Bert on The HERC !



Randy also has a whole load of various mechanical games from rifle shooters to car and bike racers to submarine games etc.
Here is Bert playing one of the old car games.





Here is Bert sweating bullets when he broke it !




Downstairs is mainly all newer DMD type games and some SS titles.
Randy invites you in, gives you a really good tour of the place , describing why different games came about , how he got hold of them etc etc and then he just leaves you alone to play whatever you want in the entire place at your leisure , no pressure at all.






A view from the 'cashiers window' looking out on the arcade








This one is for you Millsy !
It was in outstanding condition



Here we are with our most gracious host Randy in the Diner.




More soon guys - we spent today around Hollywood and down at Santa Monica and I will go and start some info on that.
Apologies to some questions I havent answered as this stuff takes AGES to sort and upload.
Someone asked about 'how was Krull"
I broke it  - LOL LOL LOL LOL - no joke !