Gottlieb Surf Champ Restoration

[Strangeways]

I received the playfield today, after it had its final coat of clear. It will be ready to install in about a week, but I did take some pictures today, and I was totally amazed at how good it is !










I'm very pleased with the touch up work and the clearcoat.

[oldskool1969]

TWANG !!!!
guess what just popped up? bloody beautiful 

[ktm450]

That looks awesome 

[flippnaussie]

Want!!!

Great result.

[goodolddays]

Looks excellent 

[Strangeways]

Here's the progress with the playfield re assembly. I made the mistake of installing the wrong color bumper skirts, but that has been rectified.

















The playfield should be finished off tomorrow and then I will double check everything before firing it up for the first time since I started 

[swinks]

that looks beautiful Nino, how I wish I could have mine look like that.

Q1 - when games of this era with star roll overs are cleared, what is done with clearing this area - do you clear and then sand out of the gaps or something else.

Q2 - what clear works on the surf champ paints of the playfield?

Q3 - what type of touch up paints do you use, acrylic???

so nice, well done.

[Strangeways]

that looks beautiful Nino, how I wish I could have mine look like that.

Q1 - when games of this era with star roll overs are cleared, what is done with clearing this area - do you clear and then sand out of the gaps or something else.

Q2 - what clear works on the surf champ paints of the playfield?

Q3 - what type of touch up paints do you use, acrylic???

so nice, well done.

A1 - Games of this era had a varnish, not a clearcoat of this standard. It was also very thin, and had a different (dull) finish. So cleaning the rollover inserts was easy. It will be much harder to pick out and then file the inserts - one by one !

A2 - 2 pac clear applied by an experienced professional that has done quite a few clears with amazing results ! I don't know the exact brand(s). I know he uses the high end products.

A3 - Yes - acrylics. Jo Sonja paint range that works really well with the airbrush and is 100% compatible with the clear. Thankfully EM games are MUCH less involved than SS or DMD games.

[Sinbad79]

Nino, awesome work as always.
Quick question, do you replace the screws and washers or do you somehow clean them up?
If clean them up, can you describe how you do that?
Thanks

[Crashramp]

Wow that playfield is stunning, it looks brand new! Fantastic work. 

[millsy]

Very nice 

[oldskool1969]

So very very close,I am finding it hard to contain my excitement!

[pinoffski]

Nino, awesome work as always.
Quick question, do you replace the screws and washers or do you somehow clean them up?
If clean them up, can you describe how you do that?
Thanks

Most people would use a Tumbler
here is a link
http://aussiepinball.com/index.php?topic=11125.0

or search tumbler as there is a lot of info on the forum

[Strangeways]

Nino, awesome work as always.
Quick question, do you replace the screws and washers or do you somehow clean them up?
If clean them up, can you describe how you do that?
Thanks

I clean them up by placing them in a hot solution of windex and water to remove the dirt, then dry and tumble. If they are bad, I buff them on the polishing wheel, but no too much. I like the original look which is not too buffed. The washers I sometimes replace, as they are hard to clean outside the tumbling process.

[Sinbad79]

Thanks. I have an ultrasonic cleaner which i guess i can use to help clean.
What medium do you use when tumbling?