This post got me curious as to if the early and late coin doors were really interchangable......and yes they are, I tried it.
I removed a door from a late model woodgrain parts machine, painted it and modified it as to eliminate the coin bezel and window.
(I have discovered that many of my customers prefer a freeplay machine so vending will be done with the coin return knob).
Yesterday another woodgrain 64 came in, and instead of parting it out like I have been doing for many years, I switched the coin doors.
Wow, woodgrain machines have not been getting enough respect!
It's just a theory, but I'm inclined to think the real problem with the woodgrain machines is that most (but not all) of them had an almost all white left side, including the bottle door. Leaving the wood grain as the most interesting visual region directly on the front of the machine, except for the marquee. With one's eyes drawn away from the white to the woodgrain, they become rather bored with the faked pattern quickly, making them critical of it. Also, the mostly-red marquee and it's close association with Coca-Cola prompts one to expect red elsewhere on the front, leaving one disappointed with all of so much white.
By placing that coin door on a machine with a red left side and white bottle door, you've balanced the visual interest of the front better. I suspect certain shades and patterns of woodgrain will complement a red-and-white front very well.
