1. Earliest pinball memory?
Came to Sydney on holidays when I was 9 (1971) and went to Luna Park and saw pins for the 1st time in Coney Island. We lived in a country town in QLD back then.
When I was 16 we moved to inner west Sydney (Stanmore) and there was an old ex corner shop just up the street with lots of old coin op machines in it (5 and 10c games) including a few pins (can't remember any titles though) and my brother and I spent a lot of time in there (when it was open) .
Wish I'd thought to make an offer to the owner back then , it closed a couple of years later (sold) and all the games went .. don't know where or to who. Around that same time (1978-1980) spent many Fri or Sat nights in George St with mates playing pins and pool . The old Big Top was still around then and I loved the smell and noise of that place .
Remember also playing some of the early SS games at other games parlours in the city and the new George St Cinema complexes, such as Firepower, Gorgar, Playboy , 6 Million Dollar Man etc .. and suddenly now the SS games were around I didn't spend as much time at the Big Top any more.
The local fish and chip shop across the park from school always had a pin and we'd have comps on it after school (sometimes wagging during the day too)
2. All time favorite pin? Why?
Probably Firepower .. love the countdown to multiball, the lane change and the sounds . Also the backglass as I'm a bit of a Sci Fi nut.
3. Favorite pinball manufacture? Don't really have a favourite , but nearly every game I've bought is a Williams , so I must be biased towards them .
4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?
Hard to pick a favourite .. I really have 3 keepers (probably 4 when I finally get to play Lady Luck)
Firepower ..See answer 2.
Blue Chip .. love the spinner shots, the almost impossible skill shot to the top saucer and the fact I've played about 2,000 games on it and only came close (20,000 short) to clocking it once so far.
Spanish Eyes .. this one is a very different and challenging game to play . You need to switch to a different mindset to play it .
5. How long have you been collecting? A little over 3 years. A few months after I bought my 1st game, I thought it'd be good to have a second (just for a different game to play) , then suddenly 2 became 4 , became 6 etc .. you guys know how it goes
6. First game and how did you find it? Blue Chip .. found it on Ebay , had been looking on Ebay for almost a year, but kept getting outbid (that was before I knew about sniping software). I had no idea how addictive this hobby would become
7. Do you still have it?
Yep .. but its in better shape now than when i bought it. I also recently gave it a 100% mechanical overhaul so its playing really well now.
8. What are you currently working on?
Restoring my 1968 Williams Lady Luck .. about to start the cabinet repaint. This is my 1st pinball restoration . I have been inspired by many of you on this forum to have a go. I have put that on hold for the moment though, because I've finally scrounged enough timber to build a sitdown driving cabinet so am working on that right now.
9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?
Not sure which one, but will most likely be another EM when I have some room (have to sell 2 pins 1st though ) and would like a collectible title.
10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?
A second Blue Chip that I bought about 6 months after the 1st one for $450 (not working). Had to go to Cessnock to get it. It had been sitting gathering dirt and dust in shed for about 15 years and had a badly painted cab (Black/red/green) but it had a much better glass and playfield, so I made one good machine out of 2 . It also came with the complete set of paperwork (including the full set of score cards) . I spent about 2 weeks fiddling to get it going and thats how I learnt the basics of fixing an EM and reading a schematic. It was so much easier to fault find having both the schematic and manual .. between them everything is pretty much spelt out (so to speak)
11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!
Have to say the King Pin that a member here was offering for sale just before Expo . I must have been the 1st in with a PM (10 mins after he posted) but idiot (me) didn't think to make a firm offer including pickup (he was going to bring it to Expo) .
To rub salt into the wound, Rollerball snagged it . Then I missed out a second time when he moved it on (didn't know he was)
12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought.
My Zaccaria Moon flight EM because I paid way too much for it and it has been very unreliable . At the time I thought it would be great to have one game in 9/10 condition (which Moon Flight is) , but stupidly got into a bidding war on Ebay.
I recently gave it a 100% mechanical overhaul which has sorted the unreliability , still have some flipper issues to sort with it though.
13. Describe your collection .. Currently 4 EM’s .. 1968 -> 1976 and 2 early SS (Firepower and Trizone) .. all Williams bar the one Zac machine.
14. Describe your gamesroom
Half of the double garage , which is carpeted. I’d love to expand into the other half, but can’t see the Boss ever letting me.
15. Do you have other games other than pinball?
Not yet.. but will very soon have my home built driving cab
16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?
Judging by the explosion in activity and interest over the past 12 months or so I think it will still be thriving as a home market , but doubt it will ever go main stream again , sadly.
