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Another Signature Series pinball restoration. Only by Action Pinball. |
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Bally
Dogies |
- Price:
$3,995.00 - SOLD -
- # of Players: 1 to 4
- Manufacturer: Bally
- Date Produced: January, 1968
- Units Produced: 3,670
- Design: Ted Zale
- Art: Jerry Kelley
Above info courtesy of Mr. Pinball Flipper Pinball List
TRIVIA: Dogies was one of only a handful of Bally games produced in the late 1960's that featured the famous Zipper Flipper flipper mechanisms- flippers on the playfield that could be "closed", or "pulled together" during play to close the gap between them, thus preventing the ball from being lost between the flippers.
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Interested Buyers Please Note:
This professionally restored game is intended for purchase and use by an experienced pinball collector and/or pinball enthusiast- someone who is well acquainted with working on and maintaining older antique mechanical pinball games such as this one, or someone who has a qualified pinball service person at their disposal who can help with the continued maintenance and service on this mechanical pinball game.
While this game has been extensively restored and reconditioned to not only look and play like new, but to be as reliable as possible in it's use, it is a known fact that all pinball machines- old or new- will require some adjustment, maintenance, service, and repair as time goes on. But older antique mechanical pinball games such as this one that have literally hundreds of moving parts, switches, contacts, relays, motors, and other devices, usually tend to be even more "finicky" in their day-to-day operation, and tend to require more frequent upkeep, maintenance, and occasional repair, than later-model "electronic" pinball games that have considerably fewer moving parts.
As this game is an antique (30+ years old) mechanical pinball game, we ask any interested buyers to please carefully consider the responsibility of owning and maintaining a game of this type, understanding that occasional repairs, adjustments, maintenance, and service will be an integral part of owning and using an antique mechanical game of this type.
Even something as simple as moving or shipping an older game like this can cause vibration-related problems to come up, so it is entirely possible that this game may require some adjustment before it can be operated, after it has been transported and/or shipped to/by the customer.
Repairs and adjustments of this type are not covered under warranty for non-local customers (customers outside the local Salt Lake City, Utah, area), so any such interested customers are advised to take the above information into consideration before making a decision to purchase or not to purchase this game. If you need any further information, please e-mail us.
Thank You! - Action Pinball & Amusement Management & Staff
Page Contents:
 Game Description:
Dogies is a 4-player Bally pinball game produced in 1968- during one of the most popular eras of coin-operated pinball. Dogies was one of only a handful of games produced by Bally in the late 1960's that featured Zipper Flippers, which looked and worked like standard flippers, except that they could be closed (or "drawn together") during play, to prevent the ball from escaping between them. Targets or bumpers on the playfield could be hit by the ball to "close" the flippers, and other targets would "open" them back up. Other popular games that featured Zipper Flippers were Fireball, Four Million B.C., Capersville, Cosmos, and Nip-It, which was the pinball machine featured on the TV show Happy Days.
Games that featured Zipper Flippers were always more popular with players and earned more money for operators in commercial locations. They are also more sought-after by collectors today, due to their uniqueness and low number of games that were made with them.
Dogies has a lot of fun shots, targets, features, and inherent strategies built into it's design that really make for some fun play. Chances are you won't find yourself "playing the same game twice" on this machine- it seems there's always something different to shoot for and a different play strategy to employ every time you step up to shoot the ball.
This game isn't your average "hit targets to increase the bonus" type of pinball. Dogies' main feature, or ojbective, is to shoot targets to open or close ball gates in "Dogies Canyon"- a loop lane in the upper left corner of the playfield where the ball can be shot to score some big points (see playfield images below for visual details). Depending on what gates you can get open/closed in Dogies Canyon, you can either rack up a few, or a lot of points, and either get the ball returned back to you in play, or have it stolen away down "Devil's Canyon" and out the left outlane- out of play.
Hitting any of the 3 Mushroom Bumpers across the middle of the playfield will open gates #1, #2, or #3 in Dogies Canyon, respectively. Only 1 gate can be open at a time, so if #1 is open and you hit the #3 bumper, #1 gate will close and #3 will open. The gate # you have open will determine how many 100's of points the ball will score when you shoot it up Dogies Canyon- gate #3 open will award 300 points, #2 will award 200, etc.
The most important gate on this game is gate #4- opened by either of the two top Mushroom Bumpers on the playfield. Gate #4 is the only gate in "Devil's Canyon", and will save the ball from certain death if shot into Dogies Canyon with any of gates #1, #2, or #3 open. After clearing gate #1, 2, or 3, the ball is dropped back into Dogies Canyon to exit out, but another gate will snag it before it can escape, diverting it over to the left into Devil's Canyon. If the #4 gate there is open, the ball is returned to play. If not, the ball drops through and out the left outlane. Lost!
Each trip through Dogies canyon awards a "Cactus Juice" point. This unique feature boasts a separate set of yellow score reels in the backbox- in the lower left corner. Each player (1 to 4) gets his own score reel in the Cactus Juice score area. Acheiving a certain number of Cactus Juice points awards a replay. This game can really make for some frantic action, and "on the tip of your toes" play when trying to control the gates in Dogies canyon and making the shot in there to score points, save the ball, and collect Cactus Juice points!
Dogies most notable play feature is no doubt the "Zipper Flippers" at the bottom of the playfield. As mentioned above, the Zipper Flippers could be "closed" (or "pulled together") to close the gap between them and prevent the ball from escaping between them. Hitting the center Mushroom Bumper on the playfield will close the flippers. Rolling over a center rollover button, or hitting either of the Mushroom Bumpers on the side of the playfield will again open the flippers, returning them to their normal positions. This feature was always very popular with players in pinball arcades, and found on only a few Bally games produced between 1966 and 1971. Williams pinball even tried to emulate Bally's Zipper Flipper design on a few of their games in the 1970's but no pinball game had the feel of Bally's classic Zipper Flippers!
Dogies also features TWO ball save gates on the right side of the playfield. Few games ever had even one ball save gate, so this game give you a double bonus with two of them! The top gate- about midway up the playfield on the right- is the "Sneaky Joe" gate. Try to advance the value of the Sneaky Joe gate from 100 to 300 points by rolling over the button in the middle of the playfield, then shoot through the gate before the value changes again! Collect your award, and "shoot again" with your free extra ball!
The lower ball-save gate is in the more recognized position on this game- in the lower right outlane. Roll over the button to activate (open) this gate, when lit, and your ball is returned to the plunger if it finds it's way into that right outlane!
Recently returned to "like-new" condition, this game plays lightning-fast with strong, crisp flipper shots and fast bumper and ball action- everywhere on the playfield. Switches and bumpers are extremely responsive- after a game or two on this machine you'll think you were back at the arcade in 1968 playing a brand new game again! There is no greater experience in pinball than playing a top-condition, exciting, fast-paced game like this one, and after a few plays on this vintage classic, we're sure you'll agree!
Game Condition Details:
NOTE: A large amount of detail/information is given below on the condition of this game, in regard to it's higher collectible value, and often-common multiple inquiries that we usually receive regarding intricate detail on "high end" popular games such as this one. We apologize in advance for the "extra reading" but want to convey as accurate a depiction of the game's details as possible for those customers who cannot visit our shop to see/play this game in person before buying. Customers are reminded to keep in mind that this is a used game- fully restored and reconditioned- but is not brand new, nor microscopically perfect in every possible aspect. Any older game- regardless of amount of use and care- will always show some signs of age and use which can never be completely reversed or done away with during any restoration process. If you have any questions or require any additional information or pictures, just e-mail us.
Overall:
Over 200 hours have been invested in the excruciating detailed restoration of this legendary classic Bally pinball game. It easily meets our criteria for a "Collector Condition" rating, which is our top rating for a used, reconditioned, restored game. Before restoration, this game had seen far-below-average use and very good upkeep which helped preserve it's internal and external condition very well- far better than most games that have been around since the late 1960's. This game is extremely clean inside and out- as clean as "brand new" condition- and does NOT have any signs of the common "cigarette smoke smell" from a bar or bowling alley, and no damage from spilled drinks or food either.
The play meter in this game shows only some 26,000+ plays on it since the game was built new in 1968. Meter is functioning and not jammed. From a thorough inspection of this game, and what we have seen of it during the extensive restoration, we have no doubt about the accuracy of the low meter reading on this game- signs of a "low mileage" game are prevalent throughout this game- inside and out. Average use mechanical games from the mid 1970's typically show a minimum of 85,000 plays on the meter and subsequent visible wear and tear to go along with the "high mileage" reading. So finding a game from the 1960's such as this one with low plays is truly a rare find indeed- and a refreshing find- always nice to work on and play a game that has been preserved well throughout the decades.
Cabinet and Backbox on this game (entire cabinet) have been fully repainted from top to bottom in original factory paint colors and style with original factory artwork and design faithfully reproduced. The artwork on the repainted cabinet has been clearcoated with professional automotive-grade catalyzed clearcoat to seal, protect, and preserve it's finish. The whole cabinet has a fresh, brand-new appearance, and has a very smooth, high-gloss finish from the protective clearcoat. All signs of use on this game over the years have been erased from this cabinet with the repaint work so the entire cabinet- inside and out- is essentially again in "brand new" condition- absolutely gorgeous. Brand new white nylon gliders have been installed in original locations on the back of the main cabinet, and on the underside corners of the backbox, replacing the factory original used parts in these locations. Brand new leg protector pads have also b
Backglass on this game is a rare piece- a factory original genuine NOS backglass that has sat unused for 37 years until being installed on this Dogies game. In our search for a "better" backglass for this game, which started a few years ago when we first acquired the game (1998), we came across and purchased 2 glasses for this game, before stumbling on the NOS glass that a dealer had stashed away. We purchased the NOS glass and sold off the other 2 used glasses, and are proud to now feature this factory original unused glass for the first time on this restored Dogies game.
Playfield on this game in in outstanding condition. It is the original playfield that this game came with in 1968 and was preserved extremely well over the years- not requiring replacement by a NOS playfield or lower-quality vinyl "overlay". The original playfield surface was entirely cleaned and polished with Diamond Bright cleaner/polish. Some small areas were cleaned further with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. And the whole playfield was finished off with a few coats of Kit Carnauba wax for added shine and protection. NO ball swirl marks were present on this playfield, and NO signs of paint wear or bare wood from heavy use or neglect- truly a very clean low-mileage playfield- simply gorgeous from top to bottom.
Only two light blemish spots on the playfield were discovered during the restoration- a small chip in the white paint near the top center of playfield (above top rollovers) and a light horizontal scratch in the orange paint just above the upper right pop bumper. The chip in the white paint was left untouched, and the scratch in the orange paint was touched up lightly to make it less apparent- it is small and does not even show up in images and not visible to the player during play (see images below for more details).
Original factory protective mylar rings under each of the 3 pop bumpers on this game were removed and replaced with new mylar rings for added protection of the playfield surface around the bumpers.
All playfield flat plastics (or "light shields") on this game's playfield are in excellent condition with no cracks, breaks, chips, or other blemishes- including the long piece just to the left of the pop bumper area, which is usually always broken on most Dogies games- very rare to find one that is not cracked or broken. Plastics on this game are simply outstanding!
Here is a detailed list of work that has been done on this game, followed by more details on parts and game modifications:
- We have invested just over 200 hours of work in the restoration of this game.
- Entire cabinet and backbox have been stripped, refinished, and fully repainted in original factory colors with original factory artwork/design faithfully reproduced.
- All cabinet artwork has been clearcoated with professional automotive grade catalyzed clearcoat for sealing and added protection to the artwork as well as a smooth shiny gloss finish all-around.
- Playfield top and bottom surfaces stripped of parts and assemblies for proper cleaning and rebuilding- right down to the bare wood and paint.
- Playfield surface has been fully cleaned, polished, waxed, and restored for like-new look, shine, and feel.
- All playfield parts & assemblies have been removed and hand cleaned, or replaced with brand new parts where necessary. This includes light bulbs, posts, wireform ball guides, flipper assemblies, mushroom bumper targets, pop bumpers, slingshot bumper assemblies, ball trough and associated parts, and any other parts that are installed on the playfield.
- All metal parts removed from playfield have been hand cleaned and polished for original bright shiny finish.
- All playfield plastic posts removed and cleaned by hand with detergent and brush to remove any wax, dirt, grime, or leftover cleaner. They once again look like new!
- Pop bumper assemblies on this game were removed and rebuilt with new parts including, brand new pop bumper cap screws, new white plastic pop bumper bodies, bases, and new light bulbs.
- All five mushroom bumper assemblies removed from playfield, disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled/reinstalled with new 7/16" white rubber rings in place. Switches adjusted for proper reliable operation.
- Both flipper assemblies completely removed, 100% disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt with brand new mechanical parts, and reassembled. New parts installed include flipper coil stops, coil plungers, nylon plunger bushings, plunger links and roll pins, springs, EOS switches, screws, and nylon flipper bushings. Flippers tuned and adjusted for optimum performance. They once again work like new!
- New flipper button switches installed in main cabinet for improved flipper operation.
- All new rubber rings and bumpers installed on playfield.
- All light bulbs on top and bottom of playfield, and elsewhere in game, removed, cleaned, and replaced. Brand new light bulbs used as replacements for old worn, discolored, or burned out bulbs and flasher bulbs.
- All light bulb inserts (or "lenses") in playfield surface cleaned and polished for maximum shine and light penetration.
- Brand new chrome steel pinball installed in game.
- Playfield flat plastics (screened artwork) all removed, cleaned, polished, and reinstalled.
- Score and instruction cards have both been reproduced for clean clear looks, and hard-laminated for durability, and to prevent against damage in the future- these look great!
- Brand new nuts/screws installed on many assemblies and brackets under playfield. Hex-head screws (standard and oversize) used to replace some original worn out phillips head screws for added reliability and performance.
- All TWENTY score reels in backbox have been removed, disassembled, cleaned, rebuilt, and adjusted for proper operation. 16 hours of work invested in the score reels in this game.
- All four stepper units in backbox disassembled, cleaned, contact points refurbished, reassembled, adjusted/tuned for proper operation and reliability down the road.
- New line cord and plug installed on game- original brown "zip cord" 2-conductor type for original look.
- New tilt plumb bob installed on main tilt mechanism in main cabinet- for like-new look. New ball installed in rolling tilt cage as well.
- 1 and 10 point bells in backbox removed and cleaned/polished by hand with steel wool for shiny new look.
- Stainless steel back door on backbox cleaned and new lock/keys installed.
- Plunger (ball shooter) fully rebuilt and metal refinished for new look. All new hardware installed including inner and outer springs, plunger tip, and new e-clip spring retainer.
- New chrome steel tilt roll cage ball installed in main cabinet for fresh new look.
- Inside and outside of main cabinet and backbox completely stripped of parts/hardware, cleaned, parts individually hand cleaned, refinished, and reassembled.
- Coin door has been completely removed and 100% disassembled and restored including all internal and external parts and hardware. Coin door exterior metal has been repainted with high-quality automotive grade acrylic enamel- a catalyzed metallic enamel matching the original color. Paint was applied with a professional HVLP automotive paint gun (not a "spray can" job) and is highly durable and exhibits a mirror reflection- gorgeous! Over $90 was spent on the paint & supplies alone, for the coin door and legs on this game.
- Internal coin door parts (including wiring harness and switches) individually cleaned and detailed by hand and reassembled. Coin door metal parts professionally cleaned and refinished for that brand new "day one" look! Fully working coin mechanisms (5¢, 10¢ and 25¢) installed in coin door and tested for proper operation/adjustment.
- Playfield glass lockdown bar and latch assembly completely removed, cleaned, refinished, clearcoated, and reassembled.
- All four legs on this game have been stripped, cleaned, and professionally repainted with automotive-grade catalyzed metallic paint in original color (matching the coin door- as described above). Not your average "spray can" paint job. Like the rest of the paint work on this game, a professional durable finish has been put on the legs as well.
- New hardware for legs installed, including all-new polished stainless steel leg bolts, new custom heavy-duty leg bolt plates on inside of cabinet corners, new heavy-duty leg levelers, and leg leveler "jam" nuts. (Click here for more info on these parts.)
- Fuse holders on mounting board in main cabinet all removed and replaced with modern heavy-duty units for added reliability and durability. Fuses all removed, checked, and proper values verified- replaced where necessary.
- All adjustment/instruction cards in main cabinet and backbox have been professionally reproduced on original style card stock in original type face for 100% new look- very impressive! No more dirty, torn, or stained cards in this classic game- they are all-new throughout!
- New white nylon gliders installed on "skids" on back of main cabinet and under corners of backbox for fresh new look.
- Playfield glass "canopy" top fully reconditioned and cleaned, with new sheet of scratch-free tempered safety glass installed.
Partial List of New Parts on This Game:
NOTE: ("NOS" means "New Old Stock", and indicates a part that is of original manufacture, new (never used), and authentic (not a reproduction, look-alike, or "aftermarket" part). Most "NOS" parts are discontinued and no longer available from the manufacturer, and can consequently be very hard to find, or expensive if they can be found.)
- $32.00 value: New flipper mechanical parts & switches installed on both flippers during rebuild.
- $300.00 value: New rare factory original NOS backglass installed.
- $4.00 value: New fuse holders installed/replaced on mounting board in main cabinet.
- $2.00 value: New chrome steel pinball installed in game.
- $2.00 value: New chrome steel rolling tilt ball installed in game.
- $5.00 value: New tilt plumb bob with thumbscrew installed on tilt mechanism.
- $14.00 value: New flipper button switches installed in main cabinet.
- $22.00 value: New reproduction instruction/adjustment cards installed in main cabinet and backbox.
- $3.09 value: New ball shooter springs, plunger tip, and retainer e-clip installed.
- $14.08 value: New rubber ring/bumper kit installed on playfield.
- $15.80 value: New heavy-duty custom leg bolt mounting plates installed inside all four corners of main cabinet for added durability.
- $8.00 value: New heavy-duty leg levelers with jam nut installed on all 4 legs.
- $8.00 value: New polished stainless steel leg bolts installed on all 4 legs.
- $12.00 value: New cabinet leg protector pads installed under all 4 legs on cabinet.
- $30.00 value: New light bulbs installed throughout game.
- $7.50 value: New pop bumper bodies installed.
- $19.50 value: New pop bumper ring/rod units installed on all 3 pop bumpers.
- $2.25 value: New pop bumper mylar rings installed under all 3 bumpers.
- $3.00 value: New pop bumper bases installed under all 3 bumpers.
- $1.20 value: New pop bumper cap screws installed.
- $0.50 value: New polished stainless steel "twist" nails installed on metal cabinet brackets.
- $6.50 value: New main power cord and plug installed- original style.
- $8.00 value: New reproduction price and instruction cards- hard-laminated for great looks and protection.
- $11.00 value: New coin door lock, and keys installed. Also new lock and keys on backbox back door.
- $45.00 value: New sheet of scratch-free tempered playfield glass.
- $2.00 value: New white nylon gliders installed on cabinet back and underside of backbox edges.
Custom Modifications:
- Fully repainted and clearcoated cabinet/artwork.
- Legs repainted in original factory color.
- Coin door metal front repainted in original factory color.
- Score/instruction cards reproduced and hard-laminated for best look and protection.
- Adjustment/instruction cards in cabinet and backbox reproduced and installed for new look.
Game Images:
Playfield:
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 | Playfield- restoration complete and fully reassembled/working. |
 | Playfield during restoration- stripped of all parts and components- polishing & waxing complete- reassembly started. |
 | Lower playfield area- flippers and score/instruction card "apron". |
 | Shot across lower playfield area above flippers. Whole playfield on this game is really in outstanding condition with none of the typical tell-tale signs of wear or neglect like worn-away paint or bare wood spots that are so common to find on most older, or "high mileage" games. This game's play meter shows only some 26,000 plays on it, which is considerably low for a game of 37 years. This "low mileage" really shows throughout the game- not only on the playfield surface, but on the mechanical parts and cleanliness of everything inside and out- really a nice game throughout. |
 | Plunger lane, and left outlane. BOTH of the TWO ball-save gates on this game are shown in this shot- the lower right outlane gate, and the midway-up "Sneaky Joe" gate. TWO WAYS to win an extra ball on this game! |
 | Upper left area of playfield. Welcome to "Dogies Canyon"! This is a really neat feature- probably the main point of the game. Shoot the 5 Mushroom Bumpers placed around the playfield to control which gates in this canyon get opened (if any) and where the ball comes out of "the canyon" after being shot in.
Ball enters canyon, then does a "u-turn", and comes down the right side (right of the gates seen here). If no gates are open, ball drops out another gate at the right and back into center of playfield. If any gates are open, ball comes back into left side of canyon, and a large gate at the bottom opens to take the ball to the far left side- into Devil's Canyon! If you've got the #4 gate in Devil's Canyon open, the ball will be returned to play. If not, it's dropped right down the left outlane and out of play! Here's where skill comes into play- can you navigate the canyon safely? Big points await if you do! |
 | Action in Dogies Canyon! Ball returning through gate #2, and then "exit" gate swinging open to grab it! Ball drops down left side into Devil's Canyon, and with the #4 gate open in Devil's Canyon, as seen here, ball will be saved and returned to play. A closed #4 gate will send ball down the left outlane and out of play! Control the gates to control the ball and rack up big points.
"Cactus Juice points" are awarded for trips through Dogies Canyon, and are accumulated on the yellow score reels on backglass- one for each player. Reach a certain number of Cactus Juice points and win a replay! It's not as easy as it sounds! |
 | Top "arch" of playfield. Ball just entering play here. Rebound the ball off the rubbers on either side of the "arch" to light the center rollover lane for 200 points! Note new rebound rubber installed at end of arch. Note also one small chip in white paint here above the "200" light. Otherwise very nice shape with no excessive signs of use or wear/tear. |
 | Shot across top section of playfield- pop bumpers and upper rollover lanes. This game from the late 1960's features the unique metal pop bumper skirts- a Bally feature that was discontinued just before the end of the decade. All 3 bumpers on this game have been fully rebuilt and overhauled including new parts and even new clear mylar rings installed under each bumper for added playfield protection.
Note that there was one light scratch in the playfield surface- in the orange paint- just above the upper right pop bumper. This was touched-up during the restoration process and is not visible in the pictures to the left. Not noticeable during play, but mentioned here for accuracy.
This, and the chip in the white paint as mentioned above, are the only two blemishes we came across during the overhaul of this playfield. Both obviously from careless handling at some time in the past and not the result of natural wear and tear from play/use. |
 | Lower playfield area- flippers and slingshot bumpers. "Zipper Flippers" are closed in upper shot- shoot the center Mushroom Bumper on the playfield to close the flippers and prevent ball from slipping between them! Hitting either of the lower left or right Mushroom Bumpers will open the flippers back up (lower shot). |
 | Right side of playfield- "Sneaky Joe" free ball gate. Shoot this gate to collect the lit award- 100, 200, or 300 points- and one Cactus Juice point. And shoot again! |
 | Right outlane- and lower of the two "ball save" gates on this game- two ways to "shoot again"! |
 | Upper playfield overview. |
 | View of underside of playfield. Even before our restoration work, this low-mileage game was very clean on the underside of playfield, and looks even more so after finishing our work. Note fully rebuilt flipper mechanisms on the Zipper Flipper assembly. |
 | Close-up of Zipper Flipper mechanism under playfield. All mechanical "wear" parts on these flippers were replaced with brand new parts, including flipper bushings, coil plungers and links, coil stops, EOS switches, and springs. Then adjusted and tuned- these units play just like when the game rolled off the assembly line in 1968- crisp, firm, tight, and strong! |
 | Top playfield metal "arch" assembly being restored. This unit on these particular games is a shop-job all in itself! Several hours were spent removing, cleaning, and restoring this unit and it's individual parts before reassembling back on the restored playfield. Not fun, but one of those "stones" that does not get left unturned in a job like this! |
 | "Zipper Flippers" mechanism on the bench being overhauled and restored- flipper rebuild taking place here. Brand new replacement parts for both left and right flippers on this mechanism were installed- the only way to make the flippers on these antique games really crisp, firm, and strong like when the game was brand new! The extra work, money, and time invested here definitely pays off- not only in performance, but in reliability down the road. |
Cabinet/Backbox:
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 | Game overall view. |
 | Main cabinet- right side. |
 | Detail- cabinet right side- front edge and mid-section. Note the quality of the cabinet repaint work with the artwork/stencil colors, and even the replication of the original paint finish/texture and black "spatter paint". And all clearcoated over the top with DuPont Chroma-Clear automotive clearcoat for added gloss and durable protection. |
 | Main cabinet left side. |
 | Main cabinet front, coin door. |
 | Coin door detail- note fully repainted coin door exterior panel. Repainted with automotive grade acrylic enamel paint- catalyzed metallic enamel (not a "spray can" job). All parts were removed during the coin door restoration, and restored individually before being reassembled- nothing "masked off" and no corners cut. Exceptional durability, gloss, and finish on this repainted door- better than new! |
 | Coin door interior detail. All internal parts removed, restored, and reassembled, including 5¢, 10¢, and 25¢ coin mechanisms. All complete, tested, and fully working! |
 | Backbox front and right sides. Backglass in this game is a factory original NOS piece that we found a few years back and saved for this restoration- basically a piece that had been tucked away or sitting on someone's parts shelf for more than 30 years! Extremely rare find for this part and this game, but we could not pass-up adding it as part of this game's unique restoration. |
 | Backbox left side. |
 | "Cactus Juice" points score reels- in lower left corner of backbox. Each player gets his own reel. Shots made through Dogies Canyon or Sneaky Joe ball-save gate on playfield add a Cactus Juice point to your own reel here. Make a certain number of Cactus Juice points and win a free game! |
 | Backbox bottom. Yes- even the bottom of the game (backbox and main cabinet) are restored in our process. Wood is refinished and even the factory "gliders" are replaced on the bottom edges of the backbox. |
 | Brand new 37-year-old NOS factory original backglass!
Here's the back of this rare glass, ready to go in the game. No NOS backglass is perfect, and this one unfortunately is no exception- as nice as it is, there are still some tiny imperfections that keep this one from being rated as "perfect", but overall, for an original glass that's been sitting around unused for 37 years, this one's still very outstanding for it's condition.
Detail close-ups at left shows some very tiny "pinhole" flecks of paint/ink missing from the back of the glass- these are in the lower right-of-center area, when viewed from the front. There is also a tiny bit of "lifting" of the opaque white ink at the bottom corners of the 1000 and 100 point score reel windows for the 4th player, and the same around the 1000 point score reel window for the 1st player. Other than these tiny imperfections, this original 37 year old NOS glass is basically "mint condition perfect"!
It is doubtful that these imperfections are the result of mishandling or poor storage practices from over the years as there really aren't any signs of mishandling or anything that would indicate that the glass had been rubbing on something or coming in contact with anything that would cause any damage. It may very well be that these were imperfections from when the glass was printed at the factory- even something that may have caused it to be "set aside" during the production run, and what ended up making it an "extra" glass after the production run on these games was over.
We've refrained from coating this glass with a clearcoat (like Krylon "Triple Thick") or a mylar, mainly to keep the glass in it's genuine authentic original condition. While these practices can help preserve the artwork on the glass, they have some drawbacks that can make the artwork on the glass just as vulnerable to damage as not protecting it. The biggest enemy to a glass that is coated with clearcoat or mylar is a quick change in temperature or subjecting it to extreme temperatures- especially being subject to freezing temperatures. Such cold temperatures can shrink mylar on the back of the glass, and shrink the Triple Thick clearcoat- both of which can cause the artwork to crack and separate- giving it a look from the front side like a "spider web" or shattered tempered glass. We figure if this glass can survive 37 years unused in storage, then it should no doubt continue to be fine in this game in home use, where temperature is controlled and the new owner's care will keep it from being
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 | Main cabinet underside. Original cabinet wood is refinished for like-new look. |
 | Game, with playfield "canopy glass" raised up for access to playfield. Bally pinball games from approx. 1966 through 1973 used this "canopy" style playfield glass assembly. |
 | Cabinet interior- overall view. Restored "mounting panel" in main cabinet with all the main motors, relays, and stepper units that control the game's operation. A lot of work done here to restore this panel's original look, as well as proper operation. The original worn-out fuse holders on this panel were replaced with new modern units to eliminate intermittent problems and overheating of connections at fuses (very common problems in most Bally electro-mechanical games like this). |
 | Cabinet interior- right side, featuring some of the brand new reproduction "instruction cards" we made for this game- mounted throughout the game- showing game adjustments and operating instructions/info. Note also the replay knocker mounted on the right inside wall, fully rebuilt ball shooter/plunger, and brand new flipper button contact switches installed. |
 | Cabinet interior- left side, featuring tilt mechanisms, front of mounting panel, and new flipper button contact switch installed for left button. All wiring harnesses and associated hardware in cabinet in this game have been cleaned and restored- and look like new once again!
Note brand new tilt plumb bob (with side-mount thumb screw for easy adjustment) and brand new chrome steel ball for rolling tilt cage. |
 | Backbox interior- fully restored. All 20 score reel units in this game were individually removed, disassembled, cleaned, restored, reassembled, and adjusted/tested all by hand- taking nearly two full work days to complete (and this is by a professional, experienced technician!) No easy task, but the only way to get the right look, operation, and reliability out of these old units!
All step-up units here- # Players Unit, Player Up Unit, Replay Unit, and Match Unit- have been fully reconditioned and rebuilt to provide accurate operation and reliability for decades to come. Corners can't be cut here- these are the "vital organs" of any electro-mechanical pinball machine and must be in excellent health to expect any kind of reliability from these vintage games. Time spent here pays off down the road! Saving the repairman a lot of work, and the customer a lot of money! |
 | Detail- "Cactus Juice" score reels and bottom of backbox. Note the original copper-plated thick fender washers under the backbox mounting bolts- a rare sight to see! Most go missing over the years, but this game proudly retains it's rare "copper" washers here in the backbox, and also those that secure the mounting panel in main cabinet, too! |
 | Backbox interior closeup. View from the right of backbox rear. Note fully reconditioned step-up units, score reels, wiring harnesses, connectors, relays, and even the 1-point bell unit mounted on the left wall. Also note the reproduction "instruction cards" stapled to the interior walls- reproductions of the original cards in this game- they look like they just came from the factory in 1968! A nice finishing touch to this restoration. |
 | Overall view- back of game. Note original stainless steel rear door with new lock and key, and new white nylon gliders installed on rear of main cabinet. This game also got a new 2-conductor power cord with plug- original "zip cord" style cord to emulate the original as closely as possible. |
 | Main cabinet interior being reassembled after painting complete.
Just when we thought the hard part was over.... Several more weeks of work must be invested before this will look like a complete game- all metal parts, mechanical and electrical assemblies, hardware, wiring harnesses, entire playfield, and everything else, must be cleaned, refinished, and brought back to new condition (or replaced) before being installed. Anything less wouldn't be worthy of being placed in this "like new" game! But it's all worth every minute when we see the finished product! We hope you'll agree. |
 | Ray working on overhaul, cleaning, and tune-up of each of the score reel mechanisms in the backbox. This game has 20 score reel units total- each one was completely overhauled by hand, taking this experienced technician the better part of 2 full work days to complete! But it's the only way to make them look and work like new again, and to be reliable. Again here, no stone left unturned. |
 | Most cabinet and backbox reassembly complete. Getting ready for mounting panel (motor/mech. panel) installation in bottom of main cabinet. |
 | Todd and Ray working on propped-up mounting panel in main cabinet. Main power cord and new main fuse holder being installed here. |
Cabinet Repaint/Restoration Pics:
We always get a lot of requests to see this side of the restoration work, whenever we list a Signature Series restored game, so in keeping with tradition, here are some pics of the cabinet refinishing and repainting work during this game's restoration:
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 | Backbox and main cabinet after primer-sealer coating. Curing, and awaiting application of basecoat color (white). |
 | Main cabinet after primer-sealer coating. Note all hardware removed from outside and inside on this game, and top of backbox ("neck") taped-off to retain the original wood finish underneath- replicating the factory paint process in every possible aspect. "Do it right or don't do it at all", as our head man Ray Johnson says- the work really shows here- no corners cut. |
 | Main cabinet after application of "spatter" paint coating over top coat. This is the black "flecked" paint finish that covers the entire cabinet exterior. Not easy or quick to duplicated- takes a very steady hand and eye to get a uniform application of this material. But looks like a million bucks when it's done right! |
 | First or second coat of orange paint as shot over the right main cabinet stencil (top) - one of the two "design" colors on this game. Doesn't look like much when it goes on, but once that stencil comes off, it's a work of art! |
 | Right side of main cabinet after painting of both orange and black art. Some curing time, then ready for clearcoat! |
Like all pinballs we sell, this machine also comes complete with fully functional coin door & mechanisms with all parts present and working, and all available paperwork- for this game, this consists of fold-out schematic wiring diagram, and a copy of Bally's Introduction to Bally Flipper Games manual which describes the mechanisms in the game, how they work, and includes a "theory of operation" section describing the general start-up and operation of the machine. Note that no game manual was ever produced for this game, so is not available or included with this game. Bally (and most other pinball manufacturers) did not start producing instruction/operating manuals for their games until after 1970 (Dogies was made in 1968).
For our local customers, this game also includes delivery, setup, and a full 30-day warranty on parts and labor, at no additional charge. For out-of-town customers, we offer our 30-day Limited Warranty.
For more details on our work on this particular game, see our restoration information page.
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