Another Signature Series pinball restoration. Only by Action Pinball.
From Bally Pinball:
Creepy!
Kooky!
Spooky!
Ooky!
Price:$9,995.00- SOLD -
Manufacturer: Bally
Number of Players: 1 to 4
Date Produced: March, 1992
Units Produced: 22,000+ (World record!)
Design/Concept: Pat Lawlor, Larry DeMar
Art: John Youssi
Software: Mike Boon
Sound/Music: Chris Granner
TRIVIA:Addams Family holds the all-time record for the highest-production coin-operated pinball machine ever made. Over 22,000 units were produced in multiple production runs, due to high demand and the game's popuarity in the arcades. The game still holds earnings records and remains arguably the most well-known and popular pinball machine ever produced. Many Addams Family games are still commercially operated in arcades and other locations by vendors today- more than a decade after being released.
Addams Family is a modern classic pinball game designed by Bally's famous designer Pat Lawlor, who designed such other popular classics as Twilight Zone, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Funhouse, Monopoly, Road Show, and No Good Gofers, to name a few. Addams Family is accepted as the most popular pinball machine ever made, breaking all records for production, earnings, and consecutive months (and years) that it appeared in the monthly top 10 list of most popular pinball machines! Even years after it's initial release, the game still is a top earner in the arcades and locations all over the world, and most pinball operators still won't part with the game because it makes too much money! (It still earns even more than many newer pinball machines that have been released since Addams.)
Game Play: Where do we start? There's so much fun stuff to do on this game- it is literally packed with toys, gadgets, gizmos, and accompanied by great sounds, music, lighting effects, and even authentic custom speech from the original actors from the popular Addams Family movie, including Raul Julia (Gomez), Angelica Huston (Morticia), and Christopher Lloyd (Uncle Fester). You virtually get as much "gadgetry" packed into this game as you would in two "average" pinball games, so this game really offers "a lot of pinball for the money".
This game features gadgets such as:
Four flippers!
Three-ball Multiball™ mode.
Two-ball Multiball™ mode.
A rotating Bookcase that moves to allow balls access to the hidden Vault
A moving hand that actually comes out of the playfield and snatches the ball away!
A replica of the Addams Family's Electric Chair
A "haunted" flipper which shoots the ball all by itself!
"The Power"- "haunted" magnets that grab the balls and fling them in all different directions!
The Chair: Shoot the "Bear Kick" ramp to light the light bulb in Uncle Fester's mouth as he sits in the Electric Chair! Then shoot the Chair to play one of the 13 modes that this game offers! Complete all the modes and you get to "Tour the Addams Family Mansion"! This is a "wizard" mode where the game basically goes crazy! All Jackpots are lit, extra ball is lit, all awards are at maximum value, and topped off by crazy Three-Ball Multiball™ play! A definite test of your pinball playing skills!
Thing Flips! Shoot the Bear Kick ramp when lit and the ball is diverted to a small flipper on the right side of the playfield, where the game actually hits the ball for you! The small flipper shoots the ball across the playfield and into the Swamp, where you get five times the usual points!
Thing's Box: Get the ball to "Thing" in the upper right corner of the playfield and watch as the "Thing" hand comes up out of the playfield, grabs the ball, and disappears!
The Vault: Hit the Bookcase 5 times to spell G-R-E-E-D, then watch as the bookcase slowly turns to allow you to shoot past it and into the Vault! Lock balls in the Vault to start the wild 3-ball Multiball™ mode!
This game is one of the must fun and challenging games ever designed by Bally, and even though the multitude of rules and modes on this game will be more than enough to keep you busy, the game play is fun and straightforward enough to be entertaining and fun for any players, regardless of skill and age. These are the true signs of a well-designed pinball, and we're sure after a game or two, you'll agree!
Overall, it's no wonder why this game is such a classic. With so many fun things to do on the game, it will surely keep you entertained and always coming back for more!
Overall: Over 100 hours have been invested in the excruciatingly-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.
Cabinet and Backbox: All interior and exterior surfaces on this game have been restored to new condition, from the bottom of the main cabinet to the top of the backbox. Cabinet and backbox interiors and exteriors have been stripped of all parts, refurbished and refinished, repainted, and have had brand new licensed reproduction cabinet decals professionally installed. All hardware on the inside and out has been restored, including all cabinet carriage bolts being refinished and repainted in original semi-gloss black enamel paint, just like they were at the factory.
Cabinet Decals: Prospective buyers should note that aftermarket replacement decals installed on used/restored games such as this one are known for developing minor bubbles and wrinkles with age/use over time, especially around the leg mounting areas. This is a common inherent issue for any pinball game that has decals installed for it's cabinet artwork- new or used (Williams' Monster Bash and Bally's Cactus Canyon were the only two games that shipped from the factory with applied decals- all other games made by Bally & Williams from approx. 1991-1998 had their artwork silkscreened directly onto the prepared cabinet surface at the factory and were not prone to wrinkling/bubbling like applied decals were.) With common-sense care, any issues with cabinet decals should be minor. Customers should bear in mind that this is a used/reconditioned/restored game, and is not brand new, and may not exhibit all the characteristics of a brand new, unused game.
Brand new stainless-steel cabinet side moldings have been installed, as well as a new black plastic trim piece for the top of the playfield glass. A brand new NOS (not reproduction) lockdown bar was installed on the front to keep the glass in place. A brand new sheet of scratch-free tempered safety glass was installed.
A brand new NOS (not reproduction) coin door was installed on the front of the game- a factory original replacement that we acquired directly from the manufacturer in the late 1990's- just waiting for a project such as this one. New coin mechanisms (25¢ US quarter mechs) have been installed for coin-op operation, is so desired (game can also be run on "free play"). Brand new chrome legs have been installed along with new leg bolts and new upgraded heavy-duty leg bolt mounting plates for added strength and durability (mounted on inside of cabinet corners). New leg levelers and cabinet leg protector pads have also been installed. Cabinet has had brand new white nylon gliders installed on back "skids"- just like factory design, and backbox latch mechanism has been restored and reinstalled. Power cord is original and in excellent condition and cover plate on back of main cabinet has been refinished with a new coat of black paint and new screws for mounting. Underside of cabinet has been sanded and refinished to restore fresh original look.
Main cabinet interior has been stripped of all parts, refinshed, and repainted in original semi-gloss black enamel paint to match factory finish. All parts have been cleaned and restored to new condition, including all wiring harnesses, transformer, speaker and parts, ground braid, tilt mechanism parts and wiring, vent grille, lockdown bar latch, and all supporting cabinet hardware. A brand new reproduction hard-laminated technical chart has been added to the inside left wall of the main cabinet. A brand new coin box and metal lid have been installed.
Backbox has also been stripped and refinished- inside and out. All circuit boards inside the backbox have been cleaned and inspected and show no signs of previous poor-quality repair work or damage, and no burned, scorched, or overheated connectors, as is often common in many used games that have been run hard for many years. This game's components still appear remarkably fresh and healthy. Several connectors were replaced on the power/driver board, using brand new heavy-duty connectors (male and female) to provide clean, healty connections and reliability. Upgrades to power supply have also been done including replacement of BR2 rectifier and filter capacitor for more healthy and reliable power, and replacement of the power rectifier for the flippers for added reliability. Heavy-duty components that exceed original factory quality have been used for best performance.
MPU board has had the latest L-7 ROM chip installed for "latest and greatest" software. A new remote-mount battery kit has been installed on the MPU board which gets the original on-board-mounted batteries off the board and mounted on the back side of the insert panel. This prevents damage to the valuable circuit board should the batteries ever go neglected and leak, which can cause irreparable damage to the valuable board.
Fuses on all boards have been checked and replaced with proper value fuses where necessary.
A brand new dot-matrix score display unit has been installed, along with a brand new score display driver board, to provide great performance and reliability for years to come. Score display has a bright, fresh, crisp "day one" look to it with no signs of fading or burn-in, as are commonly seen on older used as-is games. Both the original score display and display driver board in this game were present and working when we got the game, but had lots of "mileage" on them, as we often see on old original units, and often these old parts fail and cannot be repaired, so we opted to swap them out completely with a brand new ones for best performance and reliability.
All parts inside backbox were removed and cleaned/restored during the restoration, including all wiring harnesses and connectors, metal mounting plate for circuit boards, ground braid, brackets and hardware, speaker/display panel, and insert lighting panel. Insert panel has been restord and shows no signs of smoke or heat damage, and bulbs have been replaced and all work 100%. A brand new lock has been installed to hold the backglass in place.
Backglass translite in this game is original and is in excellent condition (See images below). Only a few tiny superficial rub marks are present in one or two spots on the back side from normal use over the years. These are not obvious when viewing the translite from the front side and do not penetrate the artwork, so the translite looks fantastic when mounted in the game. Translite, backglass, and moldings/trim have all been thoroughly cleaned and reassembled during the restoration and look good as new.
Black carriage bolts that secure the backbox corners (4 on each of the backbox sides) have been removed, refinished, repainted, and reinstalled, to reflect an original, new look.
The plastic "cloud topper" on top of the backbox is a brand new NOS part (not a reproduction). This was a part we ordered directly from Williams in the late 1990's- before they went out of business- and we hung on to it all these years waiting for a project just like this one to use it on. It is absolutely stunning with no signs of scuffs or cracks like most used toppers have, and original decals on the cloud are in great shape with bright, vibrant colors, showing no signs of fading. Flasher lamps under the cloud have all been replaced, and the wiring harness cleaned and refurbished, and all work fantastically.
Speaker/display panel was thoroughly restored as well, including full removal and disassembly of all parts. Plastic "plexi" that goes on the front was cleaned and polished with Novus #2 polish. "H" channel was removed and cleaned/reinstalled along with plexi. Speakers and wiring were all removed, cleaned, and reinstalled, along with all mounting/support hardware. Light bulb PC board for "THING" lights was also removed and cleaned/restored, including all bulbs and wiring harness. A brand new dot-matrix score display unit was installed for bright, crisp look and reliability for years to come.
Playfield on this game is essentially in "brand new" condition. Playfield was fully replaced with a brand new NOS licensed reproduction playfield, with added custom clearcoat for added shine and protection. All components on top and bottom sides have either been meticulously cleaned/restored or replaced with new parts, so everything on every square inch of the playfield is, or looks, brand new. You simply will not find another Addams Family that has a playfield of this quality, that looks this good.
All wiring harnesses on the underside of playfield have been removed and thoroughly cleaned from end to end to remove any built-up grime and dirt from previous use. When being reinstalled, all wiring harnesses had many additional "tie wraps" added for neatness- these are used to "bundle" the wires in the harness to keep them neatly together. We added over 150 new tie wraps to the harnesses throughout this game in order to make the wiring cleaner and neater- a difference you will notice and appreciate when looking (or working) under the playfield.
Top side of playfield has had a host of new parts installed including brand new die-cut playfield Mylars added in the pop bumpers area, and in front of the Swamp kickout, to help protect the playfield finish against wear/tear in these high-traffic areas. We opted not to install a large Mylar in the center of the playfield, as this particular playfield has been custom clearcoated, which adds protection to the finish in itself, and just looks better without having Mylar on the top of it. Simple standard periodic care and maintenance of the playfield surface, done by cleaning and waxing, will preserve the finish and help avoid wear/tear for decades to come.
All parts and assemblies have been reconditioned or replaced on the playfield, including the installation of a brand new licensed reproduction plastics set. Several pieces in this set have to be assembled together by riveting, and we spared no expense by using the correct tools and rivets to do the job right. Several hundred dollars worth of rivet tooling equipment were used in our shop to join the new plastic pieces together properly, so they have a 100% correct factory look. No cheap Home Depot pop rivet set was used here- everything was done professionally and precisely to retain the factory design- a difference in quality that we know our high-end game customers have come to appreciate from us over the years.
A brand new NOS ramp assembly was also installed on this game- not an aftermarket "repro". This ramp was a factory NOS original part that we obtained directly from Williams in the late 1990's- before they went out of business- and was a complete assembly that included wiring harnesses, decals, switches, lights, and hardware (see images below). We hung on to it all these years just waiting for a project such as this one to use it on.
All pop bumpers have been rebuilt from top to bottom with many new parts including skirts, bodies, new caps, original-style light sockets, mechanical parts, and more. Brand new target assemblies were installed througout the playfield for a full "day one" look. And brand new "Cliffy" stainless steel protectors were added- a full set- to the Chair kickout, Vault, Swamp kickout, and left and right edges of the Swamp entrances. These not only look like a factory design, but really look fantastic and set the playfield off in the areas where they're installed. And they work as good as they look- protecting the edges of the playfield in high-traffic areas to deter unsightly wear and tear (See images below).
Mechanisms such as the Bookcase, Electric Chair, and Thing Hand have all been thoroughly rebuilt and restored to new condition as well. Metal scoops for the Chair, Swamp, and Thing, have all been removed, refurbished, and have had extra welds added to them for reinforcement and added strength (broken scoops are extremely common on Addams Family games from under-designed parts and wear/tear over time). We give a lifetime guarantee on weld-upgraded scoops in the games we restore and sell, and can confidently say that we know these will last and perform well as long as you own the game.
The Electric Chair has had a custom "mod" added to it- an "Uncle Fester" character that sits in the chair and has an actual working light bulb that lights up in his mouth when the Chair hole is lit! We don't often add aftermarket "add-ons" like this to games we restore, but a select few out there really are quality parts and do quite a bit to add to a game's aesthetic value and quality, and Uncle Fester is definitely one of these. He sits in the Chair above the kickout hole and when the yellow light comes on on the left of the chair, the light bulb in his mouth lights up, allow you to start one of the many "modes" when you shoot the ball into the chair hole. Uncle Fester can be easily removed from the chair for periodic cleaning/maintenance when needed.
Wiring that runs out the back of the Electric Chair has been re-done and neatly bundled up and made tidy by housing all the wires and lamp diodes in one piece of black electrical shrink tubing (see image below). Most original Addams Family games you will see, have a mess of wires and junk coming out the back of the Chair. Not on this game- a very tidy job has been done to improve the look of the wiring for the Chair, and add an element of protection/safety as well.
The rotating Bookcase assembly has been fully overhauled as well, with many new parts added. New actuator arms/links that are used to rotate the bookcase have been installed underneath. The shorter arm is an upgraded part made with "Delrin" plastic which is virtually unbreakable. Broken linkage parts on this assembly are very common in most used/average Addams Family games, and we have made sure to not only replace both with new parts in this game, but to use the upgraded Delrin link as well, for added reliability.
Several other new bookcase base parts have been added, incuding a new round blue base, bookcase frame, lid, and plastic sign which is properly riveted to the lid with factory original style rivets. A brand new blue rubber bumper pad has also been installed on the front of the bookcase frame.
The Thing Hand assembly has also been fully overhauled from top to bottom, including an upgrade that has replaced the magnet wiring inside the hand with a heavier guage wire, and new connector pins/housings, which will add reliability and durability to this device for years to come. Broken wires and worn-out connectors from the hand flexing back/forth for years and years are common problems in average used Addams Family games, so we've made sure to not only rebuild, but upgrade the wiring on this unit for added reliability and trouble-free operation.
The three magnet coils that are part of "The Power" feature under the lower center of the playfield have had some upgrades done to them as well. A common problem in Addams Family games over the years has been the upper left magnet coil getting stuck "on" and overheating, sometimes damaging the playfield (burning or discoloring the artwork on the top side). On this particular game, we have replaced this magnet coil with an upgraded version which includes a "thermistor"- a device that detects an overheating condition and will open the circuit in the magnet, thus shutting it off if it stays on and starts to heat up. In addition, we have also modified the wiring for the magnet circuits on this game to include a fuse for each individual magnet (original design had one fuse for all three magnets, which didn't help protect against the problem of one magnet locking on and overheating). Our modified design includes a 3-unit fuse panel mounted just above the magnet driver board on the underside of the playfield (see image below) and fuses that will individually fail if any particular magnet gets stuck "on".
All mechanisms on the playfield (including kickers, bumpers, flippers, and more) have all been painstakingly overhauled and reconditioned/restored to new condition for good looks and proper reliable operation.
Here is a detailed list of work that has been done on this game, followed by more details on condition:
We have invested just over 100 hours in the restoration of this game.
New cabinet decals installed. Cabinet stripped of all parts, refurbished/refinished, and new licensed reproduction decals installed on main cabinet sides, front, and backbox sides.
Cabinet and backbox interiors restored including removal of all parts and hardware, cleaning, repainting of interior sidewalls, and reassembly.
NOS clearcoated playfield installed and waxed with top-quality Carnauba wax for added shine and protection.
New die-cut Mylars installed in pop bumpers area and in front of Swamp kickout. Rollover Mylar added in right flipper return lane, under ramp drop.
Playfield stainless steel rails/ball guides all removed and cleaned, and refinished using our proprietary in-house method which removes unsightly ball marks and restores the natural "grain" to the metal. They once again look brand new!
Playfield hardware (nuts, screws, etc.) cleaned or replaced with new parts. New screws uses for ramp entrance flaps and pop bumper caps. New nylock nuts used to secure playfield plastics and ramps.
Lamp sockets all removed individually and sockets/wires cleaned. New bulbs installed where required.
Wiring harnesses in backbox, cabinet, and under playfield all removed, fully cleaned from end-to-end, and reinstalled. Over 150 new nylon tie-wraps added to game wiring for neatness- cleans up messy/untidy factory wiring.
New light bulbs installed throughout game to replace old worn out or burned-out bulbs.
Playfield plastic posts all cleaned/reinstalled or replaced if necessary. No cracked, broken, worn, or dirty posts on this game.
New playfield plastics set (screened artwork) installed. Licensed reproduction set. Assembly pieces properly and professionally riveted together using factory-original style rivets to maintain original design and look.
Protective fender washers installed under top and bottom edges of slingshot bumper plastics to protect them from cracking/breaking from airborne balls.
New NOS ramp assembly installed. Not an aftermarket reproduction- NOS factory original complete assembly as purchased from Williams in late 1990's- removed from original packaging and installed during this restoration. All-new screws used to install on playfield.
Under-playfield ramp removed, disassembled, fully cleaned, reassembled, and reinstalled. No messy gunk in this ramp that will track back up on the top side of the playfield. Original stainless steel ramp protector cleaned up and reinstalled in under-playfield ramp, and one-way gate properly reinstalled at ramp exit into Swamp. Switches and wiring on ramp also refurbished.
Pop bumpers fully rebuilt. All five bumpers have been fully removed and rebuilt/reassembled during restoration, including replacement of most parts, including coil sleeves, ring/rod units, metal and fiber linkages, bumper bases, bodies, skirts, correct lamp sockets with metal leads, and correct color & type pop bumper caps. New pop bumper cap screws installed as well. Bumpers adjusted for proper operation and performance.
Wireform ball guides reconditioned and reinstalled. Cleaned, polished, and shined-up to again look like new.
Flippers fully replaced with all brand-new parts from bottom to top, including baseplate, all mechanical parts and hardware, new coils, and correct original NOS flipper bats with Williams "W" logo embossed (original factory parts- not reproductions).
All standup targets replaced (11 total) with brand new target assemblies including correct foam backing.
Slingshot bumpers rebuilt with new coil sleeves and kicker arms/pivots fully cleaned, relubricated, reassembled, and adjusted for proper operation. Detector switches removed and hand cleaned/polished to restore bright shiny brass finish.
Solder joints on light bulb, motor-control and driver PC boards under playfield all reflowed and reinforced with fresh solder to prevent cracks and intermittent operation in the future.
Metal posts polished/shined including hex posts and standoff posts used throughout playfield.
Rotating Bookcase assembly completely removed from game and 100% disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled. New parts installed include new long linkage arm, short linkage arm (upgraded part made of durable Delrin plastic), round blue base, bookcase frame, lid, riveted lid sign, and blue rubber bumper. Even wiring, switches, motor, and gearbox were removed and fully cleaned/refurbished to new condition.
"Thing" hand assembly completely removed from game and 100% disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled. Coil, bracket, and wiring inside hand was even removed, cleaned, and replaced. Wiring was replaced with brand new heavier-gauge wires for added reliability (worn/broken wires on this unit are a common problem on Addams Family games from repeated movement of hand). Gearbox gears relubricated with fresh white lithium grease.
"Thing" hand scoop that kicks ball back into play from Thing hand was strengthened by welding joints to reinforce them and prevent any breaking in the future.
Electric Chair and Swamp kickout scoops completely removed and 100% disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled. Both scoops were welded to reinforce their joints and prevent breakage/separation down the road.
Brand new Cliffy protector set installed. Stainless steel protectors added at Chair kickout hole, Vault hole, Swamp kickout, and even left/right Swamp entrances to prevent wear/tear on playfield edges at these locations.
Full rubber ring kit installed on playfield, including all regular round rings, flipper rings, post bumpers, and plunger tip.
Brand new chrome steel pinballs installed in game (game uses three total).
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!
"Power" electronic magnets under playfield have had their driver circuitry modified and individual fuses added for each of the three magnets. This prevents problems of magnets getting "stuck" on and overheating and often burning/discoloring the playfield surface (common problem on most Addams Family games). Our custom modifications will prevent against this problem occurring in this game in the future and make future problems/troubleshooting much easier.
New coil sleeves installed in coil devices (flippers, kickers, bumpers, etc.) to restore like-new operation and add reliability.
New plunger assembly installed including chrome shooter housing, shooter rod/knob, inner and outer springs (with correct tension spring for Addams Family), plunger washers, nylon sleeve, retaining e-clip, and rubber tip.
Coin door has been replaced with a brand new NOS original.
NOS factory original stainless steel side-rails for cabinet sides (not aftermarket reproductions).
NOS playfield glass lockdown bar installed (not aftermarket reproduction).
New black plastic top glass channel installed at top of playfield glass.
Lockdown bar latch assembly restored including metal refinished, brass screws polished/refinished, and new decals installed. Latch assembly relubricated with new grease.
Brand new chrome legs installed on all 4 corners of game.
Brand new leg bolts installed for all 4 legs- polished stainless steel with correct "acorn" head.
Brand new heavy-duty leg bolt plates installed on interior cabinet corners. These heavy-duty units resist stripping-out and add strength and durabilty to the cabinet structure.
New backbox bolts installed (original thumbscrew type).
All electronics (PC boards) in backbox fully cleaned, checked, and tested for proper operation and good looks (no burned connectors, etc.) Fuses all removed, checked, and proper values verified- replaced where necessary.
New dot-matrix score display installed. Old display was in good shape and working fine, but had some "burn in" and faded spots, and was original from 1992 so was replaced for reliability, and to provide a fresh clear picture with crisp graphics.
New dot-matrix driver board installed. Old unit was also in working condition but showed a lot of "mileage", so new unit was installed for best operation and reliability.
New heavy-duty rectifiers installed for 5vdc power supply and flipper power board to improve reliability and avoid common "reset" issues.
New heavy-duty filter capacitor installed for 5vdc power supply, with added jumper wire modifications for improved connections and reliability.
New remote-mount battery holder with quick-disconnect installed for MPU board in backbox. This prevents damage to the valuable MPU board from accidental battery discharge or leakage, which can destroy the board. Batteries are now mounted off-board and risk of damage is eliminated. Brand new fresh batteries installed.
NOS "cloud topper" assembly installed on top of backbox. Not an aftermarket "repro"- this is an original part obtained directly from Williams in the late 1990's that we've hung on to just for a project like this one! Flasher lamps under Cloud replaced with brand new bulbs (usually always burned out on most Addams Family games).
Backglass translite (artwork) removed and glass cleaned/polished (both sides). Translite cleaned/polished (both sides). Molding pieces cleaned and reassembled.
List of New Parts on This Game:
This is a list of new parts that have gone into the restoration of this game, and list prices for them. Labor costs and freight/shipping costs to obtain many of these parts, are not listed.
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.)
$1250.00 value: New NOS clearcoated playfield.
$340.00 value: New full cabinet decal set.
$199.00 value: New playfield plastics set.
$250.00 value: NOS factory original full ramp assembly.
$175.00 value: NOS factory original backbox Cloud topper w/decals.
$140.00 value: NOS coin door assembly.
$29.90 value: New 25¢ coin mechanisms (2).
$25.95 value: New die-cut playfield Mylars for pop bumper and Swamp kickout areas.
$0.75 value: New die-cut rollover Mylar for right flipper return lane (under ramp drop).
$6.00 value: New "wing nut" thumb screw bolts for backbox interior.
$1.00 value: New protective fender washers installed under slingshot plastics.
New Parts Total Value: $4,117.75
Custom Modifications:
This machine has had it's software upgraded to the latest game ROM revision L-7.
Protective Mylar ball drop circle installed in right return lane to protect and preserve artwork from balls dropping from ramp above.
Protective fender washers added under slingshot plastics to protect against damage.
Electric Chair, Swamp, and Thing kickout scoops have all been reinforced to prevent breakage in the future- common problem on Addams Family games.
"Power" magnets under playfield have had their driver circuitry modified by adding three individual fuses (one for each magnet). This gets around a factory design flaw that could cause one or more magnets to "lock on" and overheat, thus damaging the magnet and possibly the playfield. This modification will prevent failure and damage to the game in the future.
Remote-mount battery holder for MPU board added in backbox. Includes quick-disconnect for easy MPU board removal from the game, if ever needed.
Wire ties added to playfield cabling to "clean up" and tidy the under-playfield wiring.
Illuminated "Uncle Fester" add-on/mod added to Electric Chair.
Cliffy stainless steel protector set added to playfield.
"Thing" hand magnet coil wiring replaced with larger-guage wiring and new connector for added reliability.
Flipper coil power supply board has had a new heavy-duty rectifier installed for added reliability and increased lifespan.
Heavy duty rectifier and filter capacitor installed for 5vdc power supply, with wiring jumpers added for reliability.
New heavy-duty Delrin bookcase crank installed for added strength and reliability. Virtually indestructible.
Solder reflowed/added to connector pins on lamp and motor PC boards under playfield for added reliability.
New reproduction hard-laminated score and instruction cards installed.
New hard-laminated cabinet tech. chart installed.
New heavy-duty leg bolt mounting plates installed for added strength and durability.
Playfield- lower area view. Note new hard-laminated score/instruction cards installed. Also brand new plastics set, and NOS front lockdown bar. Yellow flippers on this game are brand new NOS originals with the Williams "W" logo on them. These have been discontinued for some time and are very hard to find anymore. But we managed to hang on to a set just for this game!
Note also the protective fender washers installed under the top and bottom edges of the slingshot bumper plastics to help protect and preserve them.
Lower playfield- shot from right side.
Close-up shot of lower playfield area from left side. Note the brass detector switches in the slingshot bumpers- these have been removed and cleaned/polished by hand to remove tarnish and restore original look.
"Thing Flips" small flipper area at left side of playfield. This small flipper is also an NOS original Williams part- one of two that we hung onto over the years for special restoration projects. Balls shot up the center ramp (when lit) will fall to this small flipper, and the game takes over and flips for you- shooting into the Swamp across the playfield for 5x point values. Control it yourself via the flipper button, or take your hands off the game and watch it play by itself! Now that's creepy!
The optos (electric eyes) just up from the Thing flipper have had their solder connections reflowed and elements cleaned to ensure proper and reliable operation of the Thing flipper. These are a common problem source in Addams Family games that can suffer broken connections from vibrations from the nearby pop bumpers.
Note the end of the brand new upgraded plastic ramp assembly just up from the Thing flipper. All of the pop bumper parts seen here are new- bodies, skirts, bases, metal ring/rods, caps, etc. and they work like lightning!
The Swamp: This is a kickout-scoop mechanism (similar to the Chair, below) where balls are stored for Multiball™ play and ejected to the lower right flipper. Balls can be shot in here from anywhere on the playfield, but will come here automatically from the Thing flipper across the playfield (see above).
This entire unit was disassembled, and every part cleaned, rebuilt and reassembled, including an overhaul of the wiring harness for the Swamp, and all the delicate microswitches that are used to detect the balls inside it. The metal kick-out scoop has had extra welding done on it to reinforce it for added strength (broken weld joints are common on original parts) and comes with a lifetime guarantee against breakage! Modified for performance and reliability for years to come.
Note the new orange standup targets installed, as well as the custom Cliffy stainless steel protectors installed along the front entrance to the Swamp, at the kickout, and also on the back side (along plunger lane) for protection of the exposed playfield wood edges in these spots. Also note the reflection off the new clearcoated playfield here- there is nothing like "brand new"- really an amazing shine to this playfield.
Back (right) side of the Swamp, as seen from the plunger lane. This view shows the two stainless steel Cliffy protectors installed on the back entrance to the swamp, protecting the exposed playfield edges here from ball wear/tear (common wear spot on original games). The front side Cliffy protector can also be seen here.
The Electric Chair: The Chair is seen here, complete with Uncle Fester sitting in it, watching all the action! The Chair is one of the primary shots on the game. Balls entering the scoop under the chair will start one of the 13 different modes of play- when the yellow light on the Chair (or in Fester's mouth) is lit- and will initiate Multiball™ when the red light is lit. Brown molded plastic Chair is a brand new part. Note also another one of the brand new Cliffy stainless steel protectors installed around the perimiter of the scoop hole. This covers the exposed wood edges and protects the finish from unnecessary wear and tear from balls entering and leaving the scoop.
Back side of Electric Chair. All of the wiring for the lamps inside the chair has been re-done and we've nicely and neatly bundled the wiring into one contained cable coming out the back of the chair and down under the playfield. On most original Addams Family games, this area is a mess of dirty wires, diodes, and old yellowed insulators, but we've cleaned this factory design up and made this area not only neater, but safer as well.
The Graveyard: The pop bumper area is the "Graveyard" in this game. FIVE bumpers are used on this game, and really give the ball some serious action when it's in this area. Hitting the different bumpers changes the next available mode (13 modes in this game) which is started when you shoot the lit Electric Chair.
All-new pop bumper parts have been installed including mechanical parts and new skirts, bodies, bases, and bumper caps. Also note the all-new targets installed for Cousin It in front of the pop bumpers area, and the NOS ramp assembly going over the Graveyard in the background.
The Bookcase and Vault: Shoot the bookcase 5 times to spell G-R-E-E-D, then watch as it rotates to allow the ball to be shot behind it- right into the Vault. To be stored for Multiball™ play.
The bookcase mechanism is one of the most complicated units in this game and we've done nothing short of giving it a full and complete overhaul from top to bottom, including a brand new Delrin crank, which is virtually unbreakable (originals commonly broke on most Addams Family games), a NOS nylon crank arm which turns the bookcase unit, a brand new round blue bookcase base, bookcase frame, lid, lid sign, and front rubber bumper. This unit looks "day one" new again- and works that way, too!
Thing: Here's Thing coming out of his box to grab a ball! Balls shot into the saucer at the top of the playfield are occasionally picked up by Thing. The hand actually comes up out of the box, picks up the ball, and takes it down into the depths of the playfield! Sometimes Gomez makes Thing give it back, but other times it disappears into the Swamp to be stored for Multiball™ play.
The entire Thing hand assembly has been overhauled from the wire ties to the gearbox. Fully cleaned and restored to brand new "day one" condition. Wiring to the magnet coil in Thing's hand has been upgraded to a heavier-gauge wire along with a beefier connector pin set to provide more reliability- broken wires and intermittent connections are often common problems on original games, so we've re-done this one to be reliable as possible.
Solder joints on the motor control and opto boards for Thing have been reflowed with added solder to beef them up and add reliability. Gearbox has been relubricated with fresh white lithium grease. He works like new again! No corners cut here- everything overhauled.
Note the new plastics installed on the playfield. The upright piece with the telephone on it has been attached to the lower piece with new factory-style rivets for a 100% correct restoration. This requires special rivets and expensive tools to do properly, but no corners were cut even with the riveting that was done on the various parts during this restoration.
View across the right entrance to the ramp, and toward the Thing hand.
View looking down at the saucer in front of Thing.
Bear Kick Ramp: Left and top (Bear Kick) ramp entrances shown here. Entire ramp assembly is a brand new NOS factory original assembly, including all new original decals, ramp entrance flaps, wiring harness, switches, lights, and hardware. This ramp was an original part we ordered from Williams in the late 1990's- before they went out of business- and we've been saving it for a special project such as this one ever since.
Under-playfield view of "Power" magnets driver PC board, with custom-modified wiring that now provides individual fused protection of each of the three magnets.
The 3 "Power" magnets will pulse during Multiball™ mode, causing the balls to move around in random fashions and giving a sort of "ghostly" effect to game play.
We have upgraded this controller circuitry from the original factory design for added protection. Normally the 3 "Power" magnets were fused by only 1 fuse, and a very common problem that many Addams Family games have had, is if one of the magnets locks on for some reason, the single fuse often would not blow, allowing the magnet to overheat, and then burn the playfield. This would discolor the artwork on the top side of the playfield, and damage the playfield wood. This is very common to find on many used Addams Family games.
We have modified the circuitry for the 3 magnets in this game, and added 3 individual fuses (1 per magnet) which will better allow the fuses to blow if one or more magnets locks on for any reason. Thus helping to protect the playfield from damage.
Upper left "Thing" flipper mechanism and pop bumpers area. The Chair kickout scoop and kicker mechanism and the three "Power" magnets can also be seen here.
Note the cleanliness and tidiness of the wiring- all wiring harnesses were thoroughly clean and reinstalled during restoration, including the addition of over 150 new white nylon tie-wraps to clean up messy/stray wiring as installed by the factory. The under-playfield is much easier to look at, and work on, now.
Upper right flipper and Bookcase assembly. The Bookcase assembly is probably the most neglected, abused, and dirtiest area on the playfield in any Addams Family game, and a quick look under the playfield- at this unit- will quickly tell you how a previous owner has cared for (or neglected) his game. No neglect here- everything is clean/new and in "day one" condition, and will provide many more years of reliability and fun.
Note the clean under-playfield ramp, as well. This unit takes balls from the Vault and Thing hand and transports them to the Swamp to be kicked out. Most under-playfield ramps in most games are as black as the inside of a chimney- very neglected. Not so here- no stone left unturned- everything is "day one" clean.
Swamp ball trough and kickout mechanisms/scoop. The three "Power" magnets are also seen here.
Detail- Bookcase and Thing Hand box/assembly. The "Thing" hand unit is housed in the large metal box at the top right corner of the playfield underside. Probably the most complicated asesmbly on this game, this unit really takes a lot of time to fully overhaul and recondition. We have upgraded the magnet coil in the "hand" by installing heavier-gauge wiring and a new larger male/female connector for added reliability. One common problem that this unit has in average used Addams Family games, is that after some time, the original wires in the connector will work loose, and/or wires for the magnet coil will break from being flexed back and forth for so long. This causes the magnet coil to operate intermittently, or not at all, and "Thing" will often be seen to drop the ball while lifting it, or not pick it up at all. This can be extremely difficult for most repair persons to diagnose, and very costly to repair, when it is properly diagnosed. So we have upgraded this unit to help avoid such problems in the future- and to make the game more reliable in the long run.
Upper left corner of playfield (underside view). Top pop bumpers and ramp diverter seen here.
Restoration Pictures:
NOS playfield assembly just starting. Side rails, most metal rails, and some components installed here.
Upper part of playfield during assembly.
Back side of playfield during early part of assembly. Pop bumper lamp sockets and hardware installed first.
Most major assemblies and components installed. Ready for remaining assemblies, smaller parts, and wiring.
All assemblies and parts installed on under-side of playfield and ready for wiring harness re-installation.
NOS ramp assembly before installation- still in original factory packaging since late 1990's.
Cabinet/Backbox:
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Description
Game overall view.
Main cabinet- right side. Note new yellow flipper buttons, brand new stainless steel side-rails, and new NOS front lockdown bar. Legs are brand new, as are black leg protector pads, leg bolts, and leg levelers.
Main cabinet- left side.
Front of main cabinet. Coin door on this game is a brand new NOS unit which we acquired from the manufacturer in the late 1990's- not an aftermarket replacement. Coin door is set up for use with U.S. Quarters, or game can also be run on "free play".
Note brand new legs, leg bolts, leg protector pads, and brand new complete ball shooter assembly.
Backbox overall view. "Cloud" topper on top of backbox is an original NOS part which we obtained directly from the factory in the late 1990's- not a reproduction part. Note brand new score display installed.
Backglass translite is original to this game and in excellent condition for an original part. There are only a few tiny pin-head size nicks near the left edge on the back side of the translite from normal wear/tear over the years. These do not penetrate through the artwork so are not obvious when viewed from the front side. No other scratches or damage are present- a very nicely-preserved original translite in this game.
Backbox insert panel. Entire panel has been removed from game and cleaned with new light bulbs installed. New backbox lock and keys has also been installed.
Backbox interior. All circuit boards are original to this game, with exception of the dot-matrix score display driver, which was replaced with a brand new aftermarket replacement for added performance and reliability. All original boards have been removed, thoroughly cleaned and overhauled, and upgraded where necessary, including replacement of some vital connectors and power supply components for added reliability.
Game ROM chip on the MPU board has been upgraded to the latest L-7 version, for the latest and greatest software upgrades. Note also the remote-mount MPU battery kit, which relocates the MPU batteries "off board" and prevents damage to the valuable board if the batteries ever go neglected and leak (common problem in most used as-is games).
Backbox interior and all parts were removed and thoroughly cleaned and overhauled during the restoration- everything looks like brand new again.
Back side of game. Yes, even the back has been restored. Cabinet has been stripped of parts, refinished and repainted with original semi-gloss black enamel paint. Parts have been reconditioned and reassembled. New white nylon gliders have been installed on the back "skids" and on the underside edges of the backbox, as originally done at the factory. Vent grille on back panel has been fully cleaned and reinstalled. Legs, leg bolts, leg bolt plates, leg protector pads, and leg levelers are all brand new. Line cord cover plate has been repainted and new screws installed to secure it.
Main cabinet interior. Entire cabinet interior was stripped of parts for complete cleaning. All parts were removed, including transformer, speaker, grilles, wiring harnesses, and more. All were fully cleaned, reconditioned, and reinstalled. Lockdown bar latch was disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt/reinstalled and adjusted, and includes new decals on the top side.
Note also the brand new hard-laminated tech. chart stapled to the left interior wall, and the brand new coin box and lid.
Cabinet interior- front left corner. Note the new heavy-duty leg bolt plates that have been installed- one in each corner for each leg. These upgraded parts provide more stability to the cabinet structure and resist stripping-out like original factory plates did, and are a great upgrade for any game.
Inside of coin door. Coin door on this game is a brand new NOS original from the late 1990's- not an aftermarket replacement. Door is set up for use with U.S. quarters, or game can also be run on "free play". Retainer clips that hold the coin mechanism latches in the "down" position are not installed/seen here, but are included (installed) with the finished game.
This machine comes complete with fully functional coin door & mechanisms with all parts present and working, and game manual and schematics (wiring diagrams) for this game (factory original manual and WPC schematics).
For our local customers, game sale includes delivery, setup, and a full warranty on parts and labor, at no additional charge.
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