Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: BrianB on July 18, 2007, 06:49:32 am
On Thursday of last week I was perusing my local Craigslist listings for anything that seemed cool ad stumbled upon a guy a couple of hours north of me with a couple of old bingo pinball machines for sale. I called him and after I felt that the machines were worthy of purchase, we struck a deal.
The first game is a 1954 Bally "Hi-Fi" Bingo Pinball and the second game is a 1961 Ball "Acapulco". I ended up getting both plus some extra parts and a complete (but very dirty!) playfield for a late 70's Stern pinball all for $300!
The Hi-Fi works great and only has some very minor problems. The backglass is flaking a bit but luckily there is a replacement backglass for both machines.
The story of these machines goes something like this. The original owner was an amusement company owner who had a route that he worked in the Terre Haute, IN area. He apparently went out of business back in the early 70's and put in upwards of 30 machines into storage. The fella that I bought the machines lived a couple of streets away from the old fella and when he got wind that he had all of these old bingo machine just sitting in a pole barn, he made him and offer he couldn't refuse!.
Flash forward about 20 years. These were the last two games that he had in his possesion and was looking to move them out of his basement fast to make way for a home improvement project. We carried the machines peice by peice up the skinny, high 1909 built stairs out the back door to my awaiting trailer. If anybody here has ever moved a pinball you know what I'm talking about.
One thing that I didn't know was that unlike regular EM pinballs that distribute the electric components fairly equally between the head and the body, Bingo Pinballs keep the vasy majority of their components in the head! This means the average Bingo head weighs in at about 225 lbs! That way more than even a 4 player EM pinball head!
Here are some pics of the Hi-Fi Bingo, I got it set up first and snapped a few pics of it. The other pic of the Acapulco is from the original listing.
The first game is a 1954 Bally "Hi-Fi" Bingo Pinball and the second game is a 1961 Ball "Acapulco". I ended up getting both plus some extra parts and a complete (but very dirty!) playfield for a late 70's Stern pinball all for $300!
The Hi-Fi works great and only has some very minor problems. The backglass is flaking a bit but luckily there is a replacement backglass for both machines.
The story of these machines goes something like this. The original owner was an amusement company owner who had a route that he worked in the Terre Haute, IN area. He apparently went out of business back in the early 70's and put in upwards of 30 machines into storage. The fella that I bought the machines lived a couple of streets away from the old fella and when he got wind that he had all of these old bingo machine just sitting in a pole barn, he made him and offer he couldn't refuse!.
Flash forward about 20 years. These were the last two games that he had in his possesion and was looking to move them out of his basement fast to make way for a home improvement project. We carried the machines peice by peice up the skinny, high 1909 built stairs out the back door to my awaiting trailer. If anybody here has ever moved a pinball you know what I'm talking about.
One thing that I didn't know was that unlike regular EM pinballs that distribute the electric components fairly equally between the head and the body, Bingo Pinballs keep the vasy majority of their components in the head! This means the average Bingo head weighs in at about 225 lbs! That way more than even a 4 player EM pinball head!
Here are some pics of the Hi-Fi Bingo, I got it set up first and snapped a few pics of it. The other pic of the Acapulco is from the original listing.
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: Eric on July 18, 2007, 07:38:07 am
Awesome scores! Yeah that Craiglist is awesome... I heard eBay owns it?
wonder if that's true.... anyway great story and machines!
wonder if that's true.... anyway great story and machines!
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: bubba on July 18, 2007, 07:38:42 am
Brian.. that is cool.. I've been looking for an old wooden pin.. thats pretty cool. I haven't had the pleasure of moving a pin yet, but I am going to find out soon. My buddy has one in his parents basement that we grew up with. Its a Gottlieb Cleopatra machine.. He said when they brought it originally, they only removed the legs.. I dunno about that..
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: SIGNGUY on July 18, 2007, 09:47:50 am
(Eric @ Jul. 18 2007,8:38)
QUOTE
Craiglist is awesome... I heard eBay owns it?
wonder if that's true....
wonder if that's true....
I've heard that they where trying to buy it...We'll there goes another great thing...
I'm sure they'll be adding fees to list on it.. or they might just shut it down as it's competing with Ebay.Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: Seven181 on July 18, 2007, 10:00:15 am
Cool Machines! Great price too! Congrads and Enjoy!
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: sodaworks on July 18, 2007, 01:15:16 pm
Nice Score. These are really cool. I have an old 30's Bally's machine that's called a pay out machine. It pays out nickels The theme is called "Prospector" and features an old miner panning for gold.
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: FDNY1975 on July 18, 2007, 05:26:31 pm
Nice pinball machine like the Vendo Coin Changer also. Congrats, Matt
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: Jim on July 18, 2007, 06:23:24 pm
Very Nice ! ! !
After moving the machines, I suppose it's time for a cold one!
A soda I meant...
After moving the machines, I suppose it's time for a cold one!
A soda I meant...
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: aspbear1 on July 18, 2007, 07:52:45 pm
Great machines, when I was a teenager those were my favorite to play.
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: BrianB on July 19, 2007, 06:06:50 am
Terry,
Where did you pick up your "Prospector"? It sounds pretty cool.
I recently bought a 1934 "42nd Street" Genco pinball machine. Mine is non-payout though.
Jim,
Yeah, a cold one (soda!) was in order after lugging those two beasts around!
Where did you pick up your "Prospector"? It sounds pretty cool.
I recently bought a 1934 "42nd Street" Genco pinball machine. Mine is non-payout though.
Jim,
Yeah, a cold one (soda!) was in order after lugging those two beasts around!
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: sodaworks on July 19, 2007, 10:34:10 am
I found mine in a antique store a over on the coast a few years back.
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: Ltransam on July 19, 2007, 09:23:08 pm
Hey, BrianB
Great Find
As I beleive you stated to me a while back When Me & My Neighbor Got the Bowling Game's & Twin Rilfe Shotting Game .
There GREAT to Play & Fairly easy to work on !Even For Me .We Had HOUR'S of fun playing them whit only a few issues .The contact's & coils seem to ALLWAYS need Cleaning .
Again GREAT Find & Have Fun !!!!!!
Ltransam
Great Find
As I beleive you stated to me a while back When Me & My Neighbor Got the Bowling Game's & Twin Rilfe Shotting Game .There GREAT to Play & Fairly easy to work on !Even For Me .We Had HOUR'S of fun playing them whit only a few issues .The contact's & coils seem to ALLWAYS need Cleaning .
Again GREAT Find & Have Fun !!!!!!
Ltransam
Title: Weekend Finds!
Post by: BrianB on July 23, 2007, 06:44:36 am
Yep, they do require some maintenance. You want to know what the best thing for any EM game is?
Playing it!! That will help keep the keep the game running like a champ.
I still would love to have a shuffle alley or a ball bowler. The only problem I have with the ball bowler is the price and the amount of room it takes up. Most shuffle alley's can be found at the 8 foot long range. Most ball bowlers are like 14-16 feet long!
Playing it!! That will help keep the keep the game running like a champ.
I still would love to have a shuffle alley or a ball bowler. The only problem I have with the ball bowler is the price and the amount of room it takes up. Most shuffle alley's can be found at the 8 foot long range. Most ball bowlers are like 14-16 feet long!