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Sold Flying Circus - Gottlieb 1961 £950

Hiltoncriss

Hiltoncriss

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
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615
Location
United Kingdom
A EM that has a refurbished cabinet, powder coated door and legs, polished rails and lockdown bar.

Played perfectly till was moved from one office to another. Since then it has infinite balls per game. Everything else works. Definitely a super small job for anyone that knows how to fix EM’s. I can fix only machines from the 80’s onwards and have no interest learning how to fix an EM.

Hence the low price for its condition but has to be bought by someone that can fix the small switch that’s in the wrong position causing the issue. Not advised for beginners.
 

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Am very interested, but can you expand on the problem, please? Don't quite understand why a simple move should cause that - not that I know a lot about pinball machines, but I believe there are people who offer a mobile repair service?

And am I right in thinking it looks like it is working off a transformer? American 110 - 240?
 
Dinkysaurs said:
Am very interested, but can you expand on the problem, please? Don't quite understand why a simple move should cause that - not that I know a lot about pinball machines, but I believe there are people who offer a mobile repair service?

And am I right in thinking it looks like it is working off a transformer? American 110 - 240?
Click to expand...

Its an EM machine, the physical movement of the machine or event just a change in temperature/humidity could cause a switch gap to close or open up enough to cause an issue, and these EMs are all about the switch gaps.

Saw this machine myself the other weekend at the tournament held there and it did appear to be in very nice condition, other than the mentioned end of ball issue.
 
Dinkysaurs said:
Am very interested, but can you expand on the problem, please? Don't quite understand why a simple move should cause that - not that I know a lot about pinball machines, but I believe there are people who offer a mobile repair service?

And am I right in thinking it looks like it is working off a transformer? American 110 - 240?
Click to expand...
Dinkysaurs said:
Am very interested, but can you expand on the problem, please? Don't quite understand why a simple move should cause that - not that I know a lot about pinball machines, but I believe there are people who offer a mobile repair service?

And am I right in thinking it looks like it is working off a transformer? American 110 - 240?
Click to expand...
I’ve repaired/restored a fair number of these and I would disagree that they’re very sensitive.I started as a complete NOVICE and restored stuff that were a simple fix all the way to machines that should have been scrapped. They’re pretty robust beasts but, unlike SS, they have a LOT of moving parts meaning a lot of coils and contacts that have to work together to get the machine to play. The defect described is likely to be the ball count unit, which is a device with a copper ‘spider’,ie a piece with a number of fingers, that contact to a copper plate. If you have any diy/mechanical skills you may be able to fix it yourself using this http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm and some helpful people on EM sites that I could refer you too. 90%of the parts are available from the States or Europe. The more specialised parts from the States incur a fair bit of fees/duty. However, if you can’t put a shelf up - it’s not for you! And yes it does look like it’s working off a transformer, not unusual and no big deal, but should be mentioned/confirmed by the seller as there’s extra cost to replace if it isn’t included.
 
Fantazia2 said:
Its an EM machine, the physical movement of the machine or event just a change in temperature/humidity could cause a switch gap to close or open up enough to cause an issue, and these EMs are all about the switch gaps.

Saw this machine myself the other weekend at the tournament held there and it did appear to be in very nice condition, other than the mentioned end of ball issue.
Click to expand...
Thank you! :)
 
Slingshot99 said:
I’ve repaired/restored a fair number of these and I would disagree that they’re very sensitive.I started as a complete NOVICE and restored stuff that were a simple fix all the way to machines that should have been scrapped. They’re pretty robust beasts but, unlike SS, they have a LOT of moving parts meaning a lot of coils and contacts that have to work together to get the machine to play. The defect described is likely to be the ball count unit, which is a device with a copper ‘spider’,ie a piece with a number of fingers, that contact to a copper plate. If you have any diy/mechanical skills you may be able to fix it yourself using this http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm and some helpful people on EM sites that I could refer you too. 90%of the parts are available from the States or Europe. The more specialised parts from the States incur a fair bit of fees/duty. However, if you can’t put a shelf up - it’s not for you! And yes it does look like it’s working off a transformer, not unusual and no big deal, but should be mentioned/confirmed by the seller as there’s extra cost to replace if it isn’t included.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for that info. I think I know what you mean about that particular piece (spider etc), which I think my Chicago Coin Playtime machine had and which I successfully repaired in the 1970s after buying it for £40 (!!!!!!!) from the local pub landlord, and which by the way, I am now looking to replace after regretfully selling it in the late 90s.

SO, if anyone has or know of for sale a 1968 Chicago Coin Playtime machine - PLEASE let me know!
 

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On a Gottlieb with a ball count unit, is just a revolving disc sitting on top of a fixed plate. By the sounds of it, the mechanism is simply gummed up and is stuck on its last position.
If the machine was destined for a country outside the US it will have a suitable transformer. If a true US model, you'd need a step-down transformer to drop UK power to 115v US input.
So don't be put off. If you buy it and need help getting it sorted out, message me.
 
Doug said:
On a Gottlieb with a ball count unit, is just a revolving disc sitting on top of a fixed plate. By the sounds of it, the mechanism is simply gummed up and is stuck on its last position.
If the machine was destined for a country outside the US it will have a suitable transformer. If a true US model, you'd need a step-down transformer to drop UK power to 115v US input.
So don't be put off. If you buy it and need help getting it sorted out, message me.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! :)

It's really nice to know there are people on the site who help and are willing to pass on experience and advice, which is what I was hoping for, and if it is as you reckon, then I should be able to sort that myself. Even had a look about an hour ago at the route/time from where I am, and the hire of a van, so am certainly keen!! :cool:
 
Looking at the picture of the back box components to be found on ipdb.org, the ball count unit seems similar to that in later Gottlieb games. Gottlieb tended not to use a copper 'spider' and a circuit board with copper traces, preferring a plate with spring-loaded wiper contacts known as 'Snowshoes' (something I only learned recently), moving over a board with domed brass contacts fixed in place.

If this machine is like the similar age Flipper Parade that I looked at once, the flippers won't work (from the buttons, that is) with the playfield raised; but then they wouldn't need to, except to make things easier for a technician. The flipper buttons operate linkages, which align with the flipper switches on the underside of the playfield. I don't see them in the under-playfield picture, but the large outhole trough, fed by the channels from playfield drain holes, seems familiar. With a spring loaded gate to prevent the trough from emptying when the playfield's lifted.
 
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Dinkysaurs said:
Phew! I'll have to read that a few times before it all sinks in, but in the meantime - thank you so much for your interest! :)
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First of all I do apologise for the slow reply. Been in hospital for the last few days and I had other thing to sort out.
Now I’m back and I can reply to your message.

A BIG thank you to the community @Fantazia2 @Slingshot99 @Doug @Jay Walker for stepping in and giving a helping hand. That’s lovely to see. Thank you gents!

Just to make things clear, the transformer that you need to make it run it’s included in the price and it was bought for £90. So you have no extra cost with that. It’s plug and play.

I can guarantee that you won’t need any spares for this one. It’s a simple fix if you now what are you looking at. I’ve brought it in the second office about a year back. Same thing happened but then it had three issues after the move. But back then I had a bit of spare time and I’ve fixed all of them. Simple contacts that had to be put back in place. But I do admit it took me over 3 hours to fix them.

It comes with a large printed schematics so everything can be traced there.

Unfortunately now I don’t have the necessary time to approach it. Hence the buyer will have to fix it.

Best thing would be to come here and look at it. If you don’t like it you don’t have to take it with you.

You can even try to fix it here if you want. And if you can’t you don’t have to take it. I just hope that you won’t break anything else :)))

This being said please let me know if you can come down in Sawbridgeworth to see it and we can set a time and date that will work for both of us.

Regards,
Chris
 
Thank you Chris, and hope you are feeling better :)

I'm certainly very interested, as it looks like the sort of project that will get me back into the world of pintables, while I wait for a decent CC Playtime machine to surface at a reasonable price.

Let me get organised first as my games/computer room is in a small back bedroom and presently has two virtual tables in it that my son bought as projects and keeps threatening :confused: to finish one day. However, I have ordered and paid for a new large garden shed that is being delivered this Wednesday and his machines are going in there, along with other "stuff"!! 😏

Sincere regards

John
 
Hi John,

There's a great bunch of us in East Anglia, although most of us
( everyone I know) don't have any experience in EMs. (I'm only in Sudbury and know of others closer to you). If it was solid state I'd certainly offer to help.

I'd reccomend you visit the pinball office anyway, enjoy the great selection of games and you can take a look at the game itself.
😁
 
Hi David! And thank you for your post - it's good to know there are some "local" fans, and hopefully we'll meet up one day :cool:

John
 
I'm based in Chelmsford but cover Essex and surrounding areas, if anyone is interested in this but the fault is putting you off I'd be happy to fix it for the buyer, won't take long at all.

James
 
Hiltoncriss said:
First of all I do apologise for the slow reply. Been in hospital for the last few days and I had other thing to sort out.
Now I’m back and I can reply to your message.

A BIG thank you to the community @Fantazia2 @Slingshot99 @Doug @Jay Walker for stepping in and giving a helping hand. That’s lovely to see. Thank you gents!

Just to make things clear, the transformer that you need to make it run it’s included in the price and it was bought for £90. So you have no extra cost with that. It’s plug and play.

I can guarantee that you won’t need any spares for this one. It’s a simple fix if you now what are you looking at. I’ve brought it in the second office about a year back. Same thing happened but then it had three issues after the move. But back then I had a bit of spare time and I’ve fixed all of them. Simple contacts that had to be put back in place. But I do admit it took me over 3 hours to fix them.

It comes with a large printed schematics so everything can be traced there.

Unfortunately now I don’t have the necessary time to approach it. Hence the buyer will have to fix it.

Best thing would be to come here and look at it. If you don’t like it you don’t have to take it with you.

You can even try to fix it here if you want. And if you can’t you don’t have to take it. I just hope that you won’t break anything else :)))

This being said please let me know if you can come down in Sawbridgeworth to see it and we can set a time and date that will work for both of us.

Regards,
Chris
Click to expand...
Thank you once again Chris, as I was going to come and see you this weekend or the next with hired van and son in tow, BUT a Playtime, and my first love, surfaced fully serviced with guarantee etc. (Yes, totally genuine) Rather expensive and more than I wanted to pay, but it comes with peace of mind for me, having had four scammers offering the machine to me previous. Also, my son has bought an arcade machine, and we need to see how much room we have left, as your very nice Flying Circus is now on my back burner.

Thought I'd better let you know, and you still have a customer in me for it, but if it sells in the meantime, it's not the end of the world. :)

Sincere regards
John S
 
Hi John,

Sorry forgot to update the ad, the pin was sold this week so not available anymore.

Well done with finding the pin that you are after!

@MajesticPinball James, can you send me a PM please as I told the buyer that you will fix it for him. It will stay in our area so quite easy to reach.
 
Hiltoncriss said:
Hi John,

Sorry forgot to update the ad, the pin was sold this week so not available anymore.

Well done with finding the pin that you are after!

@MajesticPinball James, can you send me a PM please as I told the buyer that you will fix it for him. It will stay in our area so quite easy to reach.
Click to expand...
Thank you Chris - it was not meant to be, so all's well that end's well :)

John
 
Hiltoncriss said:
Hi John,

Sorry forgot to update the ad, the pin was sold this week so not available anymore.

Well done with finding the pin that you are after!

@MajesticPinball James, can you send me a PM please as I told the buyer that you will fix it for him. It will stay in our area so quite easy to reach.
Click to expand...
I'm away ATM, pm me and I'll get back to you once I'm home 👍🏻
 
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