Author Topic: The Secret Room..  (Read 7596 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Strangeways

  • Pinball Restoration is my passion
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+9)
  • *****
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Melbourne
  • ABN 68 283 634 461
    • Ride The Boney Beast
The Secret Room..
« on: March 26, 2014, 10:59:14 PM »
Dad's original pinball building was built by him in 1974. It is made "the old way" and is mostly concrete and very sturdy. It was the distribution point for games coming off the containers and into the cafe's and billiard rooms of the 70's. By today's standards, it is built of a much higher quality. Already 40 years old, it still stands strong. It once housed 90% of his route when he started closing the business in the mid 90's. I had my 21st Birthday upstairs, while around 500 pinball machines were stacked under our feet. There's a massive concrete stairwell from the street level to the first floor. Under the stairwell is the "secret room", where Dad kept some of the Bally Bingos stored before they were legalized in the late 80's. So I'm told, 90 were thrown out, only a handful were kept. So today I finally received the phone call from the current tenant;

"I've cleared the entrance to the room. But there are no machines. There is some sort of wooden panel, you might want to come and look at it.."

So I drove down there, and indeed the room had NOTHING but old furniture. I was expecting a stash of Bally bingos. Once we removed the furniture, I could see what the tenant was alluding to. The "secret (empty) room"





A wooden panel ?





A HEAVY wooden panel, that has 16 woodscrews ? Under a staircase ? So I removed the screws and prized open the panel ;





A stash of Bally Bingos ! I COMPLETELY lost the plot !


I removed the first lower cabinet to reveal FOUR complete games ;





Boxes of spare parts, and four complete heads.





I only have enough room for two bodies. The heads are too heavy, so they will be done on another trip. So I eagerly loaded up the ute and drove them to the Factory so I can have a better look ;











So it appears there is one "Showtime" and two "Beach Time" games - complete - but with playfields that have some interesting artwork - I don't care - these games are 1950's Bally Bingos, and these were bought new in the 50's and operated in Australia until 1988. These arguably are the first Bally Bingos in this country. I was so AMAZED and Happy, I drove the cabinets' to Dad's and showed him the games and he was so happy they were still there. We talked and I was completely and utterly left speechless..

Nino - "Dad, this is an amazing find. Why did you hide them away in 1988 ? Did you hope to operate them when they became legalized ?"

Dad - "No Son. I kept them for you. They are yours. I knew one day you would have the passion and knowledge to restore them to their original state."

Dad hid these games so that 25+ years later, I would track them down and restore them. I was speechless..

So I asked Dad - "How come you just didn't leave them in the garage for me"

Dad - "when you were young, you were a bum. You would have sold them or done something stupid" !

He always used to say to me - "These games were the first computers".

Personally, this is one of the most important days of my life. This is an amazing story - he KNEW they were there. He saved them for when I was "ready" to persist in finding them. It is now my mission to have him help me restore at least 2 of these games, as he would be one of the last remaining technicians that knows these like the back of his hand.

This picture of the ball arch decal is so awesome;





I have to say that today has brought back a flood of memories. I am grateful that these games were hidden in the "Secret Room". I'll post more pictures when I retrieve the rest of the games.



Aussie Pinball - Proud to be Australia's Premier Pinball Forum

http://www.australianpinballrestorations.com.au/

http://www.rtbb.com.au/catalog/

We carry the largest range of NEW Ramps in Australia

Offline swinks

  • Trade Count: (+18)
  • ******
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Lake Macquarie, NSW
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2014, 11:06:13 PM »
great story, thanks for sharing
https://swinks.com.au

for pinball parts (reproduction & mods)
for pinball t-shirts

Offline Caveoftreasures

  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • ******
  • Forum Posts:
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2014, 11:09:04 PM »
well done Nino. Great find. I was always under the impression you were a bum.lol  but if your dad thinks u have changed, then I will believe him too.lol

Are u sure your Dad just didn't forget he hid them away.lol

My Dad is apx 70 (I cant stand him) and he drinks sooo much bourbon n coke, I doubt he even remembers his own name.

It is great to see you have such a relationship with your Dad that he was able/willing to give you all that pinball stock for free and start up a business. I am sure you are in the minority with generous parents. I wish the rest of us had your generous father.
Well done on a happy day. ^^^
Behind every garage door could be a pinball collectors
"Cave of Treasures" 55 in my collection

Into  Stern -JJP - Cars , Road Bikes- Jet Skis - Star Trek n Sci-Fi & Electronics    
Beware of Stalkers & Walkers when playing The Walking Dead

My 7yr old son Hunter is my best mate in the world !

Offline Crashramp

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • ******
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Albury
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2014, 11:09:17 PM »
Wow Nino, what an amazing find and fantastic story. Being able to share something like this with your father is very special, great stuff!

Offline noj472

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • ****
  • Forum Posts:
  • Ballarat, Victoria
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2014, 11:14:55 PM »
A Pinball time capsule. Have fun restoring them Nino. Absolute brilliant story. ^^^

Offline oldskool1969

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • ******
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • perth
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2014, 11:17:19 PM »
WOW and beach theme too!
If it isn't broke, it isn't pinball.

Offline ddstoys

  • Trade Count: (+23)
  • ******
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Geelong
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2014, 11:29:53 PM »
How good is that.    The professor didn't hide them from the police he hid them from you LMFAO

  They look in great shape

Marty Machine

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2014, 11:30:56 PM »
Nice "barn find", and luckily the tenant let you take them instead of being a prick and trying to sell them off etc...

Offline Strangeways

  • Pinball Restoration is my passion
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+9)
  • *****
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Melbourne
  • ABN 68 283 634 461
    • Ride The Boney Beast
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2014, 11:35:03 PM »
How good is that.    The professor didn't hide them from the police he hid them from you LMFAO

  They look in great shape

That's what everyone called Dad when he was working the route - "Professor". Reason being that he had white hair, thick black glasses and wore a gray dust coat like "Professor" Julius Sumner Miller.

Aussie Pinball - Proud to be Australia's Premier Pinball Forum

http://www.australianpinballrestorations.com.au/

http://www.rtbb.com.au/catalog/

We carry the largest range of NEW Ramps in Australia

Offline Strangeways

  • Pinball Restoration is my passion
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+9)
  • *****
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Melbourne
  • ABN 68 283 634 461
    • Ride The Boney Beast
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2014, 11:36:40 PM »
Nice "barn find", and luckily the tenant let you take them instead of being a prick and trying to sell them off etc...

He never knew they were there. In fact, he cleared out the room and called me to give me the bad news.. but there was "a panel"..
Aussie Pinball - Proud to be Australia's Premier Pinball Forum

http://www.australianpinballrestorations.com.au/

http://www.rtbb.com.au/catalog/

We carry the largest range of NEW Ramps in Australia

Offline Retropin

  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • ******
  • Forum Posts:
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2014, 11:40:14 PM »
I wish id been there for this.. a secret room with a stash of games.. mate, im excited for you - that's just awesome!

Offline ktm450

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • ******
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Geelong, Victoria
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2014, 11:42:00 PM »
Wow, that is so cool. What an awesome experience, you must be stoked that they are still there and in great condition

Offline pinball god

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • ******
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Melbourne
  • Metallica is here to stay
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2014, 11:43:26 PM »
Great story and great son and dad relationship there
Still loving my Metallica Premium

Offline pinnies4me

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • *****
  • High Score Initials:
  • Forum Posts:
  • Victoria
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2014, 11:49:55 PM »


Strangeways talked to me about this possible magic room while we were working on some stuff.... sounded hopeful but at the same time skeptical that there would be anything there.

Mate, I am **so** happy for you!! I can only imagine how happy you must be!!

Best find ever!  #*#
“If you wanna escape, go up to a pinball machine. There’s a magic button on the front that takes you to a world under the glass and makes the the rest of the universe disappear.”

Marty Machine

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: The Secret Room..
« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2014, 12:11:41 AM »
was there a boxfull of money in old 'pound' notes :-)