Great list of questions, here goes.
My earliest pinball memory was my dad who was a country operator rushing home one day with two pinballs on the back of an XB Falcon ute. It had started to rain and he started to panic and drove straight in under the carport and smashed the heads off both games. I cant remember what machines they were but we still remind him of it every now and then.
All time favourite pin is Silver Ball Mania. Not technical just a great fun game that took money for years.
Favourite manufacture - Bally,s from the SS era. You cant beat some of that artwork. I also love SS and EM Gotlieb,s.
Favourite game in my collection is Space Invaders, That back glass, those sound effects, wow it takes me back to when I was about 13 or 14.
I have been collecting lots of things for most of my life. Pinballs for only about 3 years.
My first game was Silver Ball Mania, I bought it around 1998 off my father and had it for about 5 years. We did a house extension about then and I had no where to keep it so I moved it on. Stupid stupid, I still kick myself. It was in great condition to. A friend of mine still owns that machine but wont sell it back to me. I wont ever stop working on him though.
Currently working on Kiss. Hope to have it going in the next few weeks. Cabinet, playfield and back glass in great condition but its giving me some electrical trouble.
Game I most want. I only had to think about this for .1 of a second. Paragon, I have to have a Paragon. I will even swap one of my kids plus money for one.
All time bargain for me was Centigrade 37. When my father retired I bought I wanted to buy Kiss off him and he threw in Centigrade 37 as a sweetner. Good old dad.
The ones that got away are the ones I didn't have the money or the good sense to buy when my father retired.
No ever bad purcheses, not in the pinball department anyway. ha ha
My collection at the moment is Gottlieb, King Pin, Centigrade 37 and Surf Champ. Bally, Kiss and Space Invaders.
My game room is in the middle of a major renovation. It will be finished in 2-3 weeks. I will be sure to post some pics when its done. I am a bit excited about it to say the least.
Games other than pinball- I have a cocktail table with all the great 80s video game on it. Plus a Rock Ola 470 juke box. 1978 I think and a 1960 AMI Continental.
Where will the hobby be in 10yrs- I think it will allways have a cult following. Something that worries me is a lack of interest by the kids today. I can have all my games turned on and my 15 year old son will walk in with a couple of mates and they don't take any notice of them. I suppose the play station is there pinball.
