UPDATE - I have added some photos below.
The CONGO machine arrived early sunday morning. I took no time in deciding to strip the playfield down for a good clean n wax, as well as replacing all rubbers n checking all hidden bulbs to make everything like new again. Although the machine was very very good, EVERY machine has alot of dust n playfield dirt hidden in all those hard to get places. Even a 1996 model machine has 15 yrs of dust accumulation.
I will clean every single part and make everything as shiny n clean n new as i possibly can. I have decided to add LEDS to all of the underplayfield inserts etc, and this shld be a nice addition/improvement. I generally like to leave all playfield General Illumination bulbs the std candescant 555 or 44 bulbs as I find they give a better general illumination light than white LEDs.
The std old fashioned bulbs are easier on the eyes and the only ones I like to change on top of the playfield are the sling shot 2 x bulbs to LEDS. I also find that std flasher bulbs are perfect to leave. Buying LEDs for large flasher bulbs tends to be a overkill and a expensive exercise. Generally, the stock large flasher bulbs do a great job. Most flasher bulbs above the playfield tend to blind you if u change them to a LED and u can easily lose track of the ball on some titles.
I took a quick photo of the playfield as the machine arrived, then a few shots of the playfield getting stripped, then all the parts in the box awaiting a good clean.
The next photos shld be of the machine put back together with all the playfield polished n waxed with all the LED's added. Then its time to play the machine knowing its back to being like new again. In the past I have bought a whack of machines already shopped, and I have been too busy to do any myself. But after fully re-doing Gilligans, I have decided to do all machines from now on the moment they land. I have a few days a week I have set aside to do nothing but pinball resto/shopping so I am enjoying getting my hands dirty and I am enjoying the end results of a sparkling shopped machine. I will ofcourse do the flipper kits n check all other service-able hardware n do the adjustments.
Stay tuned. Thanks for reading.
