Pinball Advice (possible EK purchase)

[Quarterhorse]

I have an opportunity to purchase an Evel Knievel (Bally 1977) pinball.  Without giving away too much on the "how" with it, I'd be able to get it for around $75-$100.....if not less.  I've seen pictures, and the backglass looks great.  Cabinet is rough, needs to be painted / stenciled.  Too difficult to tell on the playfield on pics but things appear to be there...but likely will need to replace plastics, rubbers, etc. 

Questions come on what I'm getting into.  I haven't seen it, and all I know is that "it turns on and lights up real well".  Nobody knows if it actually plays (is $0.25 that hard to come by, or should I just assume it doesn't)....

Anybody know what kind of problems these have?  Should I jump all over this and just take the pin and will make my money back on parts if nothing works?  Also....assuming I go to check it out before buying it, what should I look into when powering it / attempting to play it before making any decisions?  Any idea of real value for this machine if in working order restored or non-restored?

[clite_rad]

It sounds like a great deal; even if you can't get it working you should be able to make some money parting it out (can't believe I said that...).

I would post to the RPG newsgroup and ask for a price check and what to look for (don't post what you are paying for it), you should get some responses.

[Ken Layton]

From the "lights up" description I would assume that the general illumination (playfield and backglass) are working since they need no MPU board control. I bet the MPU board is battery acid damaged/corroded.

It might be something as simple as a blown fuse on the power transformer module if you're lucky.

[Quarterhorse]

Thanks for advice ....I'll probably move to purchase it.  My go-between (son of the guy who has it sitting in his warehouse) is going to test it next time he's over there.  If it won't work I'll have more leverage for a lower price. 

I'll likely be purchasing it and posting some renovation pics as it comes down the chute.  This will make good use of 150+ hours I could be spending with my spouse.  Thanks!

Anybody ever played this pin?  Fun game?  Worth the effort?

[Ken Layton]

Yes it's a good game. We probably had 20 or so of them on our route back in the glory days. They earned a lot of money and every one of them ended up with a worn out playfield. We eventually sold all of them off the route for home use years ago.

Be advised that this machine did NOT originally have a fuse to the playfield coils. That didn't happen until halfway thru the production run of "Eight Ball". Bally issued a service bulletin about adding this fuse, fuseholder, and wiring to the existing machines. I did that to every one we had on our route.