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Considering Taxi playfield swap

Joyride

Registered
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
115
Hi all, been looking at the playfields that CPR are doing. I would love to do this with my Taxi, but it would be way beyond my skills to take it on.

Is there anyone on Pinball Info that does swaps as a paid service?

Rob
 
If you are at all reluctant to do a playfield swap I would consider installing a Taxi hardtop. This gives you a perfect finish which in my opinion is every bit as good as doing a playfield swap. The advantage is that you only have to strip the top of the playfield, put the hardtop on and then put everything back. No need to strip the bottom or drill holes etc. Plus its only $350 rather than $800 or so for a new playfield.

Here's the hardtop that I fitted...

taxi hardtop.jpg
 
If you are at all reluctant to do a playfield swap I would consider installing a Taxi hardtop. This gives you a perfect finish which in my opinion is every bit as good as doing a playfield swap. The advantage is that you only have to strip the top of the playfield, put the hardtop on and then put everything back. No need to strip the bottom or drill holes etc. Plus its only $350 rather than $800 or so for a new playfield.

Here's the hardtop that I fitted...

Wow, hadn't heard about hardtops before now. Did you get the one that I'm now looking at on Planetary Pinball?
 
I did my first playfield swap on a Funhouse and I was just over 70. Never again BUT there are others on here that do one and think it’s a walk in the park.
For me, I made promises to God that I knew I weren’t gonna keep. Lost the will to live more than once and even household chores and going shopping suddenly looked appealing.
Oh yea got pi**ed as well to ease the pain.
You go for it. Everyone should try one once in their lifetime. 🤦🏻‍♂️
 
Did my first one last year, thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it depends on personality as much as skills, if you like researching, learning new stuff and have patience, labelling up everything its definitely doable, hardtop seems like a decent option though.
 
At least if I somehow manage to screw up installing a hardtop I’ve still got the option of a replacement playfield.

Interesting series of videos by a guy installing a hardtop on Space Shuttle…

 
Wow, hadn't heard about hardtops before now. Did you get the one that I'm now looking at on Planetary Pinball?
Hardtops are made by Outside Edge, but Planetary Pinball stocks them. I would buy direct from Outside Edge - delivery is very quick and the guy behind the company is a great person to deal with and offers great support. I once bought a hardtop from Planetary and it was defective. The guy from Outside Edge sent me a new one free of charge, and pointed out that Planetary had been told they had a defective bunch and should not have sent one from that batch out to me. So now I buy direct.

I expect others will have a different opinion but I reckon a hardtop is just as good as a new playfield, with a fraction of the hassle.

The one thing that is worth knowing is that the company recommends that you fit LEDs with your hardtop. The reason being that it is possible for the heat from conventional lamps to soften the glue of the hardtop, causing the hardtop to become detached from the playfield until you turn the machine off and it cools down and sets again.

I have not put LEDs in my Taxi and it has been fine. But one time I left my Eight Ball Deluxe on for about six hours and the hardtop did detach and warp. After I turned the machine off again it returned to normal so it was no big drama, but that's the only major thing you should be aware of.
 
For me personally i’d still take everything off a playfield to install a hardtop, so i’d go for a new playfield, only using a hardtop if no new pf is available.

I am really pleased with my 8 ball deluxe hardtop though.
 
Glad to hear you’ve still got your taxi Rob. I remember chatting ten years ago about it with you when I was doing mine. I still have it. I’m getting buried in it 😬
 
Glad to hear you’ve still got your taxi Rob. I remember chatting ten years ago about it with you when I was doing mine. I still have it. I’m getting buried in it 😬
Howdy Gaz! I’ve been watching the YouTube vid of what I assume is your Taxi getting its playfield swapped.

Is this it?

My oh my, the end result was spectacular!
 
Howdy Gaz! I’ve been watching the YouTube vid of what I assume is your Taxi getting its playfield swapped.

Is this it?

My oh my, the end result was spectacular!
Hey dude
Yep that’s mine. Feels like ten minutes ago. Was about ten years ago 😱. Life passes you by.
It’s such a nice game when it looks all shiney and new. There so often trashed.
 
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