Bally Old Chicago Reconditioning

[Strangeways]

This is a machine that was started quite some time ago. The game was purchased by a customer from a Op Shop or similar - without a backglass. The scope of work is simply to have the game mechanically and cosmetically reconditioned and a CPR Backglass installed.

Condition

Playfield 7/10 - For an EM that was very well played, it is very good. Some wear around the playfield, but nothing too drastic. Plastics need replacement.

Cabinet - 4/10 - Original patina will remain. Faded, and some areas painted over, badly.

Backglass - 0/10 - Didn't have one !

Mechanical - 4/10 - Seized steppers, incorrect coils, wiring mods..


Before Pictures

As presented to me prior to work commencement.







Incorrect posts, spinner, plastics and rubbers.





Missing the post and the guide rails. Some interesting work done where the post was !





This makes me laugh !





Multicoloured posts finished off with an Evel Knievel Spinner !





Playfield stripped





Gottlieb posts, Bingo posts and original broken posts.





A tired, worn Drop Target Assembly. Will be rebuilt !





The "Hold" relay - with the coil burnt out and the wire not even soldered !





Stepper Unit with some interesting springs !








The updates will come thick and fast as the game is basically already completed but I have not had the time to start the thread. More to come !

[Brunswick Brawler]

It's all a matter of personal taste, but to me this is the most beautiful machine in the world.  My eyes will be on this thread!

[goodolddays]

It's all a matter of personal taste, but to me this is the most beautiful machine in the world.  My eyes will be on this thread!

I agree. Wish i never sold mine . Check out my resto thread here to see how good the cab looked when repainted .. http://aussiepinball.com/index.php?topic=7606.msg99980#msg99980

[Strangeways]

All the steppers are rebuilt. Correct springs are installed. Rarely do I find a stepper that has the correct springs.




All the steppers are rebuilt. The relays are cleaned, the points adjusted and gapped. This is where a fair amount of time is spent.





To break up the process, I move to a smaller job of rebuilding the chime unit with a rebuild kit from PBR.








All the mechs are rebuilt under the playfield - steppers, relays, pop bumpers and of course - flipper kits.





Moving to the headbox. All the score reels are rebuilt. This is CRITICAL to any work on an EM. Most faults go back to the score reels.





Stripped, cleaned and then re assembled. Time consuming, but mandatory !





Reassembled ;





There's always one glaring issue with score reel assemblies. Here is a classic. The coil stop is worn and has been previously repaired by an operator. Lucky for me, I have hundreds of NOS parts from back when Dad was an operator !








Score reels rebuilt !




Credit Unit rebuilt !





The Player Unit - Critical that this is rebuilt.





One of the reasons I rebuild everything on EM s is because not everything is visible until stripped and cleaned. Here we have an issue which would not have been picked up by an operator or previous owner ;





A crack in the bakerlite plate... OPEN circuit !





This would cause all sorts of issues with games where there are moew than one player - I'll get to that later !




Repaired !








Headbox completed !




Next update - Playfield !

 

[4_amusement_only]

A lot of effort - looking good!

[goodolddays]

Old Chicago is the only 4 player headbox I have rebuilt so far (back in 2011 ) and I still remember how much work all those score reels are !


Looking good Nino .. a lot of work, but a must do for sure .

[Brunswick Brawler]

I believe a way to stop the crack on the board from continuing on is to drill a hole at the end of the crack.  (Though I don't believe that worked on the Liberty Bell in the USA).

[Strangeways]

Old Chicago is the only 4 player headbox I have rebuilt so far (back in 2011 ) and I still remember how much work all those score reels are !


Looking good Nino .. a lot of work, but a must do for sure .

The hours that go into this kind of work are huge. I still enjoy doing it, so the return is not always only monetary. The machine plays perfectly. A true classic in both it's artwork and it's playability. I love playing Bally EMs. Terribly underrated.

[Strangeways]

Oops... Headbox photo should be this one ;




Back on to the playfield - Some progress re assembling with new posts, plastic set rubbers, lane guides, pop bumper and drop target parts.








This area needed a different style minpost and also the metal guides were missing from the game.




Looking good !





CPR backglass is gorgeous..





Playtesting the game. Several DUMB repairs and "mods". Took a while to work through them..




Nearing the home stretch...

[goodolddays]

Shame it was not part of the plan to repaint the cab .. mine turned out really well using home made stencils
[size=78%] [/size]

[Strangeways]

Shame it was not part of the plan to repaint the cab .. mine turned out really well using home made stencils
[size=78%] [/size]

The owner bought it from an Op Shop, sans the backglass. She wanted it restored as a player. So it is more a reconditioning task. The cab is badly faded, but it plays very well. Great player's game.

[Strangeways]

Here is one of the "repairs" on the game. Totally unnecessary, the coin switches were cut and then rejoined and left hanging without any insulation. Accompanied with a hack on the score motor, this game was perpetually running ball after ball, without ever advancing to the next ball or player.




After sorting through the numerous hacks and "repairs", the game works well, and is a very good playing game for sure !





The rebuild of all the mechs, and returning the game to a 20c, 5 ball per game machine is completed.






















I took these photos right before a massive Thunderstorm, so they are a little on the "dark" side.

The owner of the machine wanted the game mechanically rebuilt, and the playfield restored. No touch up work or clearcoat and the cabinet had to remain original. The backglass for this game was broken or missing (I can't remember), so it has the CPR backglass - which is stunning.


























The game is currently being enjoyed in it's new home. Another Bally EM in a collection.

[Brunswick Brawler]

Unfortunate that the owner didn't ask for the cabinet to be repainted.

[Strangeways]

Unfortunate that the owner didn't ask for the cabinet to be repainted.

The machine was done on a budget. Certainly, we quoted the repaint, but the owner wanted it to be 100% original - even with the "Golden West" plaque left in place. The game is an excellent player. One of those games where it's playability is it's main attraction.

[GORGAR 1]

Looks awesome Nino :) Golden West plaque! I wonder if that’s my old game from the very early 80’s :) Dad picked mine up from Golden West Amusements and it had the plaque-having said that they operated 1000’s of games lol it’s a fantastic EM.


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