Indiana Jones: Lost Plastic

[Calimori]

IJ owners will know about the lost plastic that goes across the back board. From what I am told and have read, it was included in the prototype, then costed out and a sticker was then used on production. When the sticker was applied, did the backboard still have cut outs for the lighting board that goes behind?
The plastic is readily available so it's existence doesn't tell you if your machine is a prototype and I can't find a source that gives enough information on the matter. If anyone has a link then please share it.

My IJ has the plastic, an old lighting board that looks original. It also has a perfectly routed rectangle hole for the lights to shine through. The electrics look original from what I have traced so far and the date of manufacture stamped on the playfield is 13th Aug 1993.
The other signs of a prototype, including lights under the DMD and metal edges to the Path Of Adventure are not present so I want to find out if this was on early machines too so let me know what you have.

 

[Judge Dreads]

I think pinbitz used to supply a kit, I think Phil PH may also have them if yours are not working, I did have a set but moved them on, it came complete with a paper template for cutting through your backboard (seemed too much mither for the effect it created), not seen the path of adventure lights, there was a mod floating about in the past but I think it also required some drilling of the path plastics, probably something completely different.

 

[lukewells]

Does anyone actually have an IJ that doesn't have the "lost" plastic.

Not sure how lost it is as I think most (if not all) IJ's that I have seen have it, mine included, which also has the routed hole for lighting as the OP describes

 

[DrPinball]

The IJ I owned had the lost plastic and the hole was perfectly routed too - I was really excited when I bought the machine to see the missing plastic was installed. Seems indeed like every IJ has one.

 

[ronsplooter]

Yep, my IJ has the lost plastic as well

 

[Calimori]

How has this rumour built up, I can't find a single site saying that most machines had the hole and plastic but it can't be that much of a prototype if this cross section of machines all have it.

Does anyone have a rare IJ with a sticker?

 

[replicas]

So I take it the plastic is not lost.
Its been found.
Thank God for that.

 

[ronsplooter]

It's the briefly missing plastic Down the back of the sofa somewhere.

 

[Steve]

My first IJ didn't have the plastic, it had the sticker and no routed slot in the wood. I think the reason most machines have it is owners have added the plastic.

same with the jackpot lights on the speaker panel, some have the pre-drilled light holes, some don't. (My first one did, my present one doesn't).

 

[Judge Dreads]

I've had a couple of IJ, neither have had the plastic and most I have viewed have not had the plastic, from my own personal experience I would say that the plastic is not common, just goes to show how opinions can differ.

 

[Calimori]

I can imaging adding the plastic is the easy part, creating the light holes would be more work and the tricky part as not everyone will wants to cut the backboard. I will get some better pictures of mine during my shop log work but I won't consider my machine to be rare.
I might do the speaker panel mod though so need to look into that.