Gulfstream Restoration

[Ford Fairlane]

Hi Everyone!!

Ok im starting a thread on my gulfstream that i picked up a week or 2 ago. This is my first pin ever so obviously very excited about it. Anyway a bit of background, I joined AA a while back because i was an arcade nut. Slowly but surely my interest in pins came back in a big way so i started asking questions on pins. Through people like Tony, i rediscovered my love for the Em's. Sure they make look simpler and dont have all the bells and whistles of the new stuff (they do have chimes though ) but they are all unique with rules and lots of stuff to go for. The wife and kids (not to mention myself) cant get off the thing!!! too much fun! Anyway enough of the spiel, here are the shots i took when i first brought it home!

Lower Playfield:

Upper Playfield:

Side:

Front:


Started on the cabinet as the black paint was upsetting me. I saw near the legs that paint had flecked away so i knew there was artwork under there somewhere!! So a bit of "Goof Off" and lots of scratching around, i've started peeling the crap off and here is a progress pic



This is gonna take a long time but im up for it. This pin is gonna get the treatment so i will be asking lots of questions from those of you in the know. The one thing i am terrified of at the moment is the playfield. 1 day i want to rip this sucker out so i can restore it properly. I will obviously need some words around that when the time comes.

List of issues/stuff i wanna tackle

1. Coin mech doesnt work
2. Wanna set it up for free play
3. obviously the cabinet restore
4. Missing a couple of plastics (rollover button and left hand lane guide cover)
5. Other stuff i will list as i tackle

Will keep the posts coming as i slowly progress!!

[illawarra_steelers]

Nice one Rob,

Thanks for taking the time to post on your restoration. So what have you done for the past week? Looks like very little 

All the issues you mention are very repairable - just take on one at a time.

Will have the rollover button you need in the next few days, as soon as I have it will send.

Cheers

Tony

[Strangeways]

Rob - Really pleased you took this project "on". There's really nothing you have there that cannot be addressed by the collective skills and experience of the pinheads here.

The playfield looks very nice for the machine's age, and there's some flaking on the backglass that needs to be arrested. The body can be repaired (if required) and resprayed to original specs.

You will require patience with your restore, but like they say, "Rome was not built in one day" !

Keeps the updates coming.

[Ford Fairlane]

hahaha still scratching away at the cabinet but i've got to admit, ive been playing it more than restoring it. Too much fun especially once i learned the rules..

I've just gotta learn to take 1 thing at a time because i even started with the Novus on the playfield. Thanks for looking for the rollover button, my wife was going nuts with the ball always getting stuck in the hole and tilting the machine to get it out. She fixed it with a plastic knobby thing that comes off the end of a water bottle   not cool

[The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan]

Good Stuff, will watch with intrest your progress.

It will be awesome to see it re-painted.  I hate it when people paint over the old cabinet artwork.  I sold a Roller Disco a few years back, went to do a repair recently and the owner had sprayed it black

Love the fact that you will give this machine a new lease of life.

The playfield looks interesting, looks like a fun game.

Dean

[Retropin]

Good Stuff, will watch with intrest your progress.

It will be awesome to see it re-painted.  I hate it when people paint over the old cabinet artwork.  I sold a Roller Disco a few years back, went to do a repair recently and the owner had sprayed it black

Love the fact that you will give this machine a new lease of life.

The playfield looks interesting, looks like a fun game.

Dean

i hope you gave the owner a piece of your mind - unbelievable what people do

[Strangeways]

Good Stuff, will watch with intrest your progress.

It will be awesome to see it re-painted.  I hate it when people paint over the old cabinet artwork.  I sold a Roller Disco a few years back, went to do a repair recently and the owner had sprayed it black

Love the fact that you will give this machine a new lease of life.

The playfield looks interesting, looks like a fun game.

Dean

i hope you gave the owner a piece of your mind - unbelievable what people do

I would have walked out in disgust...   

[Mr Pinbologist]

I cant believe what some people do to these machines regarding repainting them different colours . i've seen some truly horrible "repaints" over the years. 15 yrs ago i almost sold my Abracadabra.. til i found out the guy wanted to repaint the game to suit the decor of his rumpus room... after which i promtly changed my mind!

Sorry for getting off track.. cant wait to see the progress on this game, looks like it'll come up a treat. I love seeing these old gems being restored back to their former glory.

[Ford Fairlane]

Hi Guys,

I started on the playfield today.. I used metho and gently rubbed off a lot of the gunk that was caked on it. However, even though i took heaps of crap off it, it still remains dirty and im tooo scared to rub any harder. Whats the next step?

Do i try metho again?
Do i spray it on and leave it overnight? 
Do i move to novus?
Do i try magic eraser?
Any other product i should try before i get into magic eraser?

Sorry about all the questions in 1 post but not sure what to do

It does look heaps better though but i want perfection and its not even close

[illawarra_steelers]

Rob,

Keep the questions coming - you will find each of us has different ideas - I'm a real fan of ME and Eucalyptus oil, not used at once! The oil first then the ME, then Novis, them some wax!

[Ford Fairlane]

Eucalyptus oil? i thought that would strip paint as well. Cool will try it! i mean the metho worked well as it got rid of heaps of crap. i'll move onto the oil now and see how it goes

[Strangeways]

Isopropyl Alcohol (Bunnings) and Magic Eraser (Supermarket) - especially if there is "ball swirl".

You could try a spot with ME and then another with Novus 2.

don't leave ANYTHING on a playfield overnight.

[illawarra_steelers]

Isopropyl Alcohol (Bunnings) and Magic Eraser (Supermarket) - especially if there is "ball swirl".

You could try a spot with ME and then another with Novus 2.

don't leave ANYTHING on a playfield overnight.

Would go even further by not leaving anything on the playfield longer that 5 minutes

Also be real careful with ME - don't just keep rubbing as they do have the habit of taking the 'gloss' of your playfield!

[Strangeways]

Isopropyl Alcohol (Bunnings) and Magic Eraser (Supermarket) - especially if there is "ball swirl".

You could try a spot with ME and then another with Novus 2.

don't leave ANYTHING on a playfield overnight.

Would go even further by not leaving anything on the playfield longer that 5 minutes

Also be real careful with ME - don't just keep rubbing as they do have the habit of taking the 'gloss' of your playfield!

Especially EMs...

EMs didn't have a clearcoat - they had a varnish - which is well worn by now - so you need to be gentle.

[illawarra_steelers]

Isopropyl Alcohol (Bunnings) and Magic Eraser (Supermarket) - especially if there is "ball swirl".

You could try a spot with ME and then another with Novus 2.

don't leave ANYTHING on a playfield overnight.

Would go even further by not leaving anything on the playfield longer that 5 minutes

Also be real careful with ME - don't just keep rubbing as they do have the habit of taking the 'gloss' of your playfield!

Especially EMs...

EMs didn't have a clearcoat - they had a varnish - which is well worn by now - so you need to be gentle.

Too right....treat it like a virgin....take you time.

Oh I really need to hit the sack!