This is a 1979 Williiams Flash pinball machine, which we restored over the past several months. Flash was the first pinball machine game which incorporated a steady background sound, increasing the techno excitement of playing the fast-moving game. All of the artwork on this game was completely repaired and restored, and the game is working 100%.
A completely new combination MPU and solenoid driver board were installed to ensure solid performance. The artwork on the playfield of Flash was restored through a combination of touchup painting and customized water-slide decals, after which the playfield was completely clearcoated. A few of the of artwork restoration photographs are shown below.
The backglass of the original machine was flaking very badly, especially in the red areas. A complete set of backglass artwork in separate colored layers was created and used to print a new backglass translite and matching light masking translite, which fit perfectly behind a clear pane of tempered glass.
The cabinet and backbox were completely stripped, repaired, sanded and repainted to restore all of the cabinet artwork.
We've spent considerable time making sure that this game is a solid performer, and spent way too much on the restoration process. A list of fixes and upgrades that we made for this machine includes:
- A brand new combination MPU/driver replacement board from Bay Area Amusements was installed.
- All scoring displays were replaced with brand new Rottendog LED scoring displays.
- The cabinet and boackbox were completely stripped, repaired, sanded, primed, and repainted to restore all cabinet artwork.
- The playfield artwork was touched up and restored, and the playfield was clearcoated.
- The flaking backglass artwork was carefully restored by printing artwork and light-masking translites.
- The power supply board was rebuilt using new filter capacitors, diodes, and bridge rectifiers.
- All three flippers were completely rebuilt; armatures, sleeves, flipper bats, shafts, & rubbers.
- Brand new blue lane guides were installed in the upper playfield.
- All drop target artwork was restored with new decals.
- All solenoid armatures were cleaned and re-sleeved.
- All playfield and backbox lamps were replaced.
- All star rollover switches were replaced.
- Both cabinet flipper switches were replaced.
- New same-key locks were installed.
- All rubber rings and pinballs were replaced.
- All fuses were checked, and replaced where necessary.
- The game was set to FREE PLAY
