kings and queens

[mark jackson]

Hi All, ......... a quick update on the Kings and Queens project. .. I purchased a Kings and Queens stripped playfield, and put some adds out there to see if there were any parts. I was/am deciding if I should try to build this game from the playfield up.
       I got lucky, and found a parted out playfield with all the parts on the underside, as well as an original motor board. This convinced me to bite the bullet and try. I then purchased a repro backglass. .... So I have some very important bits to make a start.
       I'm really after a 60's Gottlieb cabinet now, and an old wedgehead head box, so I'll have a place to begin this project. I'm also looking for the metal playfield posts which were used on this game ( as well as on Bank A Ball, World Fair, Buckaroo and othere games.)
       Basically, if you have some bits from a mid 60's Gottlieb single player (wedgehead) then I'd be interested in hearing from you. I don't want to get some way through this project and then stall because I can't find some parts.... All help will be greatly appreciated. I'm thinking of making a book as I go. This should prove to be quite a ride! I'll update this post as things eventuate. Cheers, Mark   

[Strangeways]

Mate - You have already committed to the restore the moment you bought the backglass ! What you need is a bit of patience, as you may find a head or body on eBay etc. I've seen wedgeheads (just the head) and I picked up a Far Out lower cabinet a few years ago (currently stripped and ready to be repainted as a Pro Football).

Even if you could borrow the head and or lower body from someone to fabricate from scratch - that would be a start.

[goodolddays]

Maybe this will help Mark ?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/PINBALL-MACHINE-GOTTLIEB-SPIN-CARD-CLASSIC-COLLECTORS-/290451379454?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_CoinOp&hash=item43a04054fe

Cheers
Dave

[justwedgeheads]

Hi Mark,Any more progress on the Kings and Queens project.Sounds like you had most of the parts except for the head box internals.(Would you be able to fabricate the headbox internals from parts and photos)
                                      Cheers Ian

[mark jackson]

Hi Ian, How goes it? ... The 'Kings and Queens' is in a very interesting place ........
WHAT I'VE GOT SO FAR: 1 X very good stripped playfield, 1 X playfield with nothing much on the top side but everything on the underside, 1 X motor board, Steel faceted p'field posts, and a new repro backglass ..... I also bought another 'Kings and Queens' machine, so now I have one to copy from.
WHAT I NEED TO FIND: An empty cabinet and  head box for a 5 ball push -up wedgehead. I am actively on the lookout for this item, as a pinball is not much of a pinball without the box! As well as this I will need a Units, Tens, Hundreds scorereel, the free game unit in the head, and a 0-9 unit for this game. Do you know if these are 'game specific' or will any 0-9 unit do the job? .... There's also three relays in the head - a 1, 10, 100 point relay..... Then there's a front door, coin entry plate, plunger, legs etc etc.
        I'll know more when I receive delivery of the p'field and motor board. The main thing would be the cabinet. Apart from this I think I can fairly easily source the other stuff. ... I'm also looking for a set of playfield plastics for this game.....
        That's a quick rundown of where it's up to at present. If you have any of those parts for sale, or know where I may be able to pick them up, if you let me know it would be appreciated. This will remain a huge project for quite some time, but in these early stages I'm feeling like I can get the job done given a reasonable amount of luck.
        I will continue to update this when things happen. At this stage, the p'field and motor board are due here in about October/November of this year. Cheers for now, Mark

[ddstoys]

I have a heap of old tortoise score reels bu not sure if they are the type you need if someone can post a photo of what the reels look like?    I also have lots of relays and stuff.   I might even have the manual ball lift mech if you decide to build your own cab

[justwedgeheads]

Hi Mark,
         I have the gottlieb 1968 catalog here.If you pm me your address I can send you a copy of all the part numbers covering(cabinet,door,litebox,,pedestal,replay unit,gear&shaft,disc,wiper,motor cams etc for all machines between "Gaucho1963 and"Seaside late 1967" You can cross reference for part suitability for your K&Q's.Some parts on your "Sweethearts" are the same.If there are any other diagrams you need let me know and I'll do them.
                                    Ian

[mark jackson]

Thanks for the interest guys. The part #s would be great, and I may well need the push up mechanism ( and the metal spoon shaped insert to cab rhs) .... My email address is  kidamigo@bigpond.net.au  Feel free to use this as an alternate means of communicato del pinballaroonio  ........happy days, Mark

[justwedgeheads]

Hi Mark,
         I've done a copy for Daniel which I'm posting to him.If you want a file sent to your email he may be able to do it for you. 
                                   Ian

[ddstoys]

That's not a problem if you want it scanned and emailed

[mark jackson]

That would be great Daniel. Thank you. My email address is below. Mark

[mark jackson]

An update on the project ... I've been trying to find a suitable 0-9 unit, as this is the only 'game specific' part that I have yet to acquire.....What I've learned is this. All 0-9 units are basically the same BUT ....there are three parts which have to be right. The gear and shaft #A-6554, the disc #B-8700 and the wiper#B-8701.   There were many machines which had the same gear and shaft number (1968 parts catalog) but the disc and wiper are specific to each particular game (..which makes sense).

I may have to modify a disc and a wiper so they are like B-8700 and B-8701. I've been told that it has been done ... You basically make a tracing of the original disc, line it up to a doner disc and add holes/rivets where they are not present. Any rivets which are on the doner disc but not the original are just left on the disc, and disconnected on the underside of the disc. The same approach is used for the wiper. All this sounds easy if you say it quick, but........

I've not attempted to do this before, and have very little idea of tools and techniques. Also, I imagine that the closer your doner disc/wiper is to the original, then the less modifying you would have to do.???

Has anyone tried this before? If so, I'd like to hear how you went about it. Maybe there's someone who has done it a few times, and knows the tricks and pitfalls.

As usual, I really appreciate the help and feedback that I get on Aussie Pinball. No-one knows it all about pinball and the community help is great. I'm sure I'm not the only restorer who really feels the void created with the passing of the mighty mechanic Colin Smith. I used to love just watching him work on my EMs, and there was no problem that Colin could not fix. He was fearless when it came to repairing and re-building parts for pinball machines. I miss the man and the lifetime of experience and skills he had.

The only way I will be able to avoid trying this modification, is if I find a parted out 0-9 unit from a 'Kings and Queens'. Anyone got one they don't want? Thanks, Mark

[mark jackson]

Hi everyone, .... I'll put up a few photos and then say a bit about what's been happening.

[mark jackson]

.... the whole playfield is from a complete k & q.

... the half p'field shot is from the stripped playfield I bought, with Wayne Neyens signature ... (just out of shot).

... The inside of a k & q head.

... The start of making my own head board.

To date: ...playfield with parts, and motor board expected within the week. For the head I've managed to find the score-reels, 0-9 unit ..( a work in progress), add/sutract replay unit, 10 point bell unit, and large pins/sockets. There's still a few parts I need for the head but I've got the main parts. Still searching for a cabinet/head box, although I may have found a head.

Afew parts I'm still after: the mini pins and sockets on the head, which are used to set the replay scores. A main wiring harness from a Gottlieb of this era (1965 or so), the other metal found in the head ... main hinges holding the inside timber to the head (3 screws each side), a couple of the smaller pins/sockets you can see at lower right of back of head, the locking lever (attached via a big bolt from the top of the head box), any other metal found inside the head box.

So, that's about it. Mainly I've been hunting for parts, but when the main stuff arrives, I'll be hard pressed to know what to do first! Cheers, Mark .... I'll put a few more pics up   

[ddstoys]

Progress is coming along well I have not had the chance to bundle up them parts yet hopefully tomorrow.    After seeing the photos I should have the brackets and lock mech from in the head I'll take a look aswell for the reel holders (told you I would forget sorry)