Got a call from a " older" lady this afternoon asking me if I fix pinball machines. I live in a tiny town of 8000 and lots of folks know I'm a pinhead so someone must of given her my name.
Over the phone she told me her late husband bought the game for the kids in 79 or so,
kool dad!
She also told the game stopped working about 25 years ago! Yep 25. They just left it on legs in basement and that was that... She had called a few service people over the years but nobody ever did show up.
I wasn't sure what I was in for, all she could tell me that it was a D. Gottlieb machine.
Sooo, volt meter, sockets and both tool kits as who knows and I went to take a look on a dark frozen Renfrew night.
Her basement was a time machine !
1977 everywhere . Vinyl bar and stools, Mint, brown shag, fake rock walls ! ping pong, air hockey, table hockey. All vintage. All minty conditions.
I thought I heard the Rockford files theme song.
Over against the wall was a 4 player Bronco, not the most desirable em out there but man o man did it look like it belonged in that basement. Standing in the same spot for over 3 decades.
I opened the back of the head and had the biggest sniff of nostalgia I could. ( y'all know that smell
?( I faakn love that smell. Tell me I'm not alone)?
I can still smell it.
We powered it up and with more than a little encouragement at the score reels and basically everywhere else it plays fine, just fine. 25+ years of neglect,dirt and grime but otherwise so original less one pop cap.
It was 1978 again.
Some reading may say so what? It's a Bronco, not a
" .......... " machine.
You're right.
Some may say I find basements etc. like that all the time.
You're right too.
I don't find stuff like this often enough for it not too make me stop, smile and feel 12 years old.
I love this " hobby " for stuff just like this.
You can find nostalgia sometimes.
I'm gonna bring it up the stairs and home this weekend, shop it out and give it the isopropyl scrub. Then its going right back where it belongs so the grandkids ,12 to 17 can time travel. I'll charge her for the novus/ wax and parts, that's it. Maybe I'll test play it for a couple winter nights....
I think kool dad would approve.
Shane. "Just because I love pinball doesn't mean I'm any good".