TOPIC:

I was wondering if anyone here has seen any old pinball machines around?

I'm guessing that there are plenty around rusting away in sheds or back rooms around the metro area.

I'm interested in bringing these old gems back to life even if I don't get to keep them myself. I probably don't have the room anyway. I know of people that can fix these machines although usually parts have to be ordered from the US.

I know there was a bloke in Perth called Mr. Pinball who used to drive around in his van with the number plates "PINBALL", and all he did was fix and service pinball and ticket machines - this was 15 years or so ago.

If your that way inclined, there is money in building retro arcade machines (cocktails and uprights). You'd need a bit of carpentry and hacking nous though.

Have a look at Ebay for some inspiration, and also www.mame.org/

Maybe a bit of Atari pinny action - Midnight Magic??? There was even a game on the Amstrad CPC back in the mid 80's called Australian Rules (there was a Perth team).

Sadly, I have no handyman or hacking nouse at all.

I never really got into the arcade games for some reason.

Just the pinball machines - 1960 to 1990 mostly. Any company. Loved them, still do.

I just feel it is a waste to have these old classics rust away. Even if that means sending them to a pinball museum. To be honest I haven't really thought about where I'd put them, I just want to see them working again.

A lot of the machines from that era were trashed when the Scarborough foreshore shops were demolished for Observation City but some had to have survived. Where they got to I do not know.

Actually, here is a games list for the 2014 Pinball Expo at the Penrith Panthers Rugby League Club. www.pinballexpo.com.au/games-list/

If you click on the name of the game listed, it takes you to the photos. You can see how they look when restored. There are even some 1940's and 1950's flipperless games before flippers became a standard accessory.

Can't imagine pinball without flippers is much fun but still, these old games are considered to be treasures.

There are still lots of pinball machines hidden in country NSW pubs I've been to.

My favourite machine was Black Hole (circa 1981), which I discovered if you have a PS3, you can download a trial pinny game (off the PS Network), and it is one of the free unlocked games with fairly realistic physics.

Ahh yes, Gottlieb Black Hole. A real beauty that one. Gonna give that a shot again in Penrith. I like all the Gottlieb 1978-84 games when they first went solid state and had the blue electronic scoreboards.

Mike, here's a classic you might remember. Not a Gottlieb but a Bally from 1980.

This was a favourite of mine.



I am trying to think of the main pinball place that was in town in the 70's/80's. They had the Purple Pumpanickel and Strombeckers but can't think of the other one ...

ShinyDuck wrote: This was a favourite of mine.

I am trying to think of the main pinball place that was in town in the 70's/80's. They had the Purple Pumpanickel and Strombeckers but can't think of the other one ...

Blimey, Orbitor 1 was a crazy game.

There was a place called Kelly's just up the road from where The Moon and Sixpence now stands.

Also there was a place up Hay Street opposite the Town Hall which used to have some good machines.

Only in my mid 30's, Don't know about Kelly's, but certainly Moon and Sixpence!

I didn't venture to much into Perth as a kid.

Does anyone remember the place in Roleystone on the Brookton Hwy that used to have pool tables and Pinnies? Again, this was a bit before my time as I had to be home by five, but certainly knew about it.

Space Invaders - saw one of these for sale awhile back not working. Was going for around $2,000 from memory.