Greetings All

[theCAVman]

Hi Guys and Girls - Virgin Pinball Machine owner here

My name's Cav and I review videogames for AustralianGamer.com - I have always loved Pinball Machines every since my mum would drop me at the care centre while she played 10 Pin Bowling at Corio, near Geelong when I was a youngen. - I remember this huge (well it looked huge, I was only a little tacker) wall of pinball machines at the alley and would hassle mum all the time for 20c

My first machine, Atari's Superman, is coming home today after being stored at the in-laws since I bought it from them 6 years ago - hoping it wont take too much to rescue - Bought it from them for $300 so it wasn't too bad a start price. Will report back (maybe with pics) after collection


The Wife says that Superman is a little too big for the lounge, but she does like the look of the SW Episode one machine, with it's smaller frame - it might be next 


This place looks pretty good and there seems to be a weatlth of knowledge here

cheers

Cav

[Strangeways]

  CAV and  to Aussie Pinball !

Enjoy the Superman - I've heard good things about it, but I cannot recall playing one. There's a heap of collectors in Geelong. I'm sure they will welcome you when they see your post !

[ajlaird]

Welcome aboard, and nice pickup on the Superman!

See if you can convince the wife to go with Revenge From Mars instead of the SWEP1: same size but in my opinion a much better player.

[pinnies4me]

G'day Cav, welcome for the forum and more importantly the addiction that is pinball!

[Steevsee]

All my best pinball memories are from the old bowling alley where I grew up.

Welcome to the forum.

[ktm450]

 

[Ant68]

Welcome , all I can say is make loooooooooooooots of roooooooooooooooooom

[oldpins]

  & 

[ddstoys]

Welcome to Aussie Pinball great to have another geelong member     I remember the arcade under corio village but was to young to remember what titles were there.

[Steve2010]

Welcome Cav, and you'll soon see that there are a whole heap of people on this forum willing to help and assist.  Also to mention there is a great breadth and depth of pinball information loaded in the many, many posts over the years.

[Caveoftreasures]

Welcome aboard Cav.

Re Revenge from Mars and Star Wars Episode 1, I own both and although RFM is a harder game to play, Starwars Ep 1 is a "better bang for your buck" pinball entertainment wise.

AJ is correct in saying that RFM is a better game if you look at it from a pure pinball perspective, but Star Wars and the light shows, the animations, and the longer ball time with the George Lucas (Lucas Light n Film Companiy) factor thrown in, the later  SWars release is a jump up from RFM in every way, except difficulty which RFM has more of.

Just buy both and then you wont have to argue with the wife as to which one is better.lol

Welcome aboard. Lots of top guys on here. 

[m-rots]

 

[Replicas]

  and 

[theCAVman]

Well it's not pretty guys 

She's a bit of a Frankenstien (sp?)

She has a Bally Plunger and a Williams Coin Door/Mech - neither fit the original spaces
I suspect the Head Box (The one on top that holds the translite - not up to speed on all terms as of yet  ) has been made from scratch.  The stencil art differs greatly from what pics I have seen and didn't fold down easily for transport.... so we left it ... only had to travel about 30kms max.
The translite is original and could do with a touch up - I don't think all of the score displays work maybe 3 of 5
The playfield is probably the best out of the whole thing - Some of the playfields plastics are warped and could be reshaped - some plastic posts are craked
New legs and lockdown bar are on the list of things to buy - Flipper buttons, siderails and lockdown have all been painted black
Side Superman stencils aren't bad and can be resucued quite easily
As you'd expect I have to replace all the rubbers and most of the globes

Going to have a Sparky mate have a quick look woith a multimeter as I scored an electric shock while checking it out 

Anyway - Thanks for the kind greetings and BTW Geelong/Corio was 1979... I have moved a little further north in Victoria now

EDIT:   I also have TWO copys of the original manual, all teh schematics and points cards for under the glass

So if anyone wants to buy an original manual.... maybe for the price of a box of globes or set of rubbers, I'd be more than happy to do business :)

[Pintoxicated]

Some of those things can be purchased from spare parts shops, other parts are going to be hard to find here in Oz.  Atari machines are regularly parted out in the US so maybe keep an eye on eBay.

Plastics can be flattened out in an oven but you have to keep a close eye on them, keep them away from the fan in the oven and as soon as they start to flatten out, remove them and let them sit for a few minutes.  I sit them on grease proof paper on a tray.

Metal parts like side rails and lockdown bar you would be better off looking at stripping them and having them re-chromed, they won't be very easy to find.

Pretty sure the displays are repairable.

Plenty of info on backglass restos.  Typically guys will seal the artwork with something like Krylon Triple Thick clearcoat and then apply any touch ups over the triple thick so it can be removed if you stuff up.  At least you know the artwork will not get any worse on the back then.

With the backbox, was it folding down at all - there may have been a bolt in the base of it holding it in place?

He sounds like a fair old project but stick with it and post some pics of the machine if you get a chance.