As some of you are aware, during my ramblings, I refer back to the "good old days" and my Father - who may be the first "operator" in Australia and he says he brought in the first pinball container into this country in the 50's. Until now, I've relied upon his failing memory of the exact year he started importing pinballs or Bingos. He believes the Bingos were first, in the mid fifties, and the pinballs were shortly after. He recalls the Bingo names, but not the Pinballs. They were woodrails - and the only "clue" I have are a few 100 woodrail legs in various states of deterioration in the storage building. I always assumed they were JUST Bingos. Anyway, in the 80's, Dad had to throw out 90 Bally Bingos, but he gutted parts and backglasses - some are still in storage, and AMAZINGLY, he has some backglasses reproduced on Perspex - I still have them as well. He kept all documentation - and I just stumbled across some of it.
While I'm cataloging some of the older stuff, I came across several OLD boxes of documentation, and I found a schematic of a Gottlieb "Rocket Ship" - in really good condition. I showed Dad, and he cannot recall the name. I showed him an IPBD picture of the game and he instantly recalled the machine. Here it is (from IPDB)
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?gid=1990This machine was produced in 1958, the same year as most of the "Golden" Bingos were produced. So he had a shipment in 1959 - or thereabouts. But is FINALLY is some proof that he was operating woodrails. Last year, I was picking up a coin operated game from a local guy in St Kilda (Gav's projector) and I spoke to the seller for HOURS. It turned out he bought many juke Boxes and pinballs from my father in the 60's (old route machines) and one of them WAS a "Rocket Ship" - or that's what he said to me "at that time". Dad did not recall - but this guy owns a perfectly restored "Rocket Man" - with Australian coin mechs. This guy MAY own this VERY machine.
So here is the schematic - amazing !
As I dug deeper, I found one of the most interesting books I've EVER seen. This IS the original training manual (or appear to be) for Gottlieb EMs written in 1964 ! It has EVERYTHING - including a guide on how to read schematics, the theory behind each circuit and general maintenance. I can't put it down !
Then more and more documentation was found. Most had deteriorated, but they look complete. These are workshop manuals for 1950's Bingos that were operated "in the old days". I have some of these games in storage. I'm hoping the "Miss America" is still there !
This documentation is GOLD for me as it is original and it will help me to piece togather the formative years of coin operated industry in Australia. At least there is some tangible proof of what was operated in the old days.
Honestly, you can't wipe the smile off my face right now. I have several other boxes to go through - Juke Boxes, EM pinballs - a PERFECT set of manuals for a Bally "Circus", and HEAPS of other things.
I will post pictures as I find them, but this is REAL history laid out before me.
Had to share this - I'll update with more soon !
