Our pinball machines: Alligator, Hi-Lo Ace, Top Score, Haunted House, and Addams Family.

It's all my brother's fault. Really. I never thought I would have my own pinball machine, until the day he called and told me about the auction. Read all about it in The Alligator Story.

	The Alligator story -- How we got our first pinball machine. The IPD entry for Alligator (German) and Gator (USA version).
	Pieter's 30th birthday present. The IPD entry for Hi-Lo Ace
	My 1999 Xmas present to myself -- a Gottlieb Top Score. I'm currently fixing this machine, my progress log includes scans of the playfield plastics. The IPD entry for Top Score Serial number: 07988 Total play counter: 188394 (when received)	Pinkid digitally restores backglasses, one of his projects is a Gottlieb 300, a 4 player version of Top Score.
	YES! I finally got the Haunted House I've been looking for! I'm sure I paid too much for it, but, but, but... :-) The IPD entry for Haunted House. No, Haunted House isn't the only Gottlieb three level game. Krull also had three levels. Unfortunately only 10 prototype machines were ever built. Riffhard has a nice picture. It also wasn't the first -- The IPD lists Bally's Elektra as a 1981 three-level machine.	Stork's Nest Pinball has Gottlieb System 80 info, including replacement driver boards and power supplies.
	Well, I've been looking out for an Addams Family for quite a while, finally found this one for not too bad a price. The machine is well worn, the coin counter read 132158 when I got it. Let's be kind and assume it was fitted by the very first owner :-) The IPD entry for The Addams Family. Read all about it! The story, the mods, and the dreaded previous owners.

2005-07-03 : A friend phoned, said there's a Gottlieb Royal Guard at the Parow dump. We went there, picked it up, I gave the gate dude R100 and my card, saying "call me next time". Condition is as expected for a dumped machine, no playfield glass or plastics, bent switches, etc. The backbox is complete, and the glass is OK for a 1968 machine. The white and red has mostly flaked off, typical Gottlieb. So for now, this is a parts machine...

Info

Light bulbs

Type	Base	Additional Info	Voltage	Current	Approx. Wattage @ 6V3	Use	Source of information
#44	Bajonet	Blue bead	6-8 V	0.25 A	1.6 W	All machines	Radio Amateur's Handbook
#47	Bajonet	Brown bead	6-9 V	0.15 A	1 W	Replacement for #44	Radio Amateur's Handbook
#455	Bajonet	Blinking	6.5 V	0.5 A	Dependent on duty cycle	Addams Family backbox (x3)	Don Schnapp
#555	Wedge		6.3 V	0.25 A	1.58 W	Newer machines	Don Schnapp
#906	Wedge		13 V	0.69 A	8.97 W	Addams Family flashers	Don Schnapp

Locally available replacements

Part Number	Base	Substitute for	Voltage	Current	Approx. Wattage @ 6V3	Source	Approx. Price
DEG015	Bajonet	#44 / #47	6 V	0.2 A	1.2 W	Avnet Kopp	R2.05
DEG110	Bajonet	#44 maybe	6 V	0.333 A	2 W	Avnet Kopp
N/A	Wedge	#555	6 V	?	?	Indoor Amusements
N/A	Wedge	#906	12 V	?	?	Automotive, smaller than #906 but works well

Resources

• Look up your machine details in The International Pinball Database
• I recommend Steve Young's Pinball Resource (PBResource (at) idsi.net) for all your spare parts, circuit diagrams, manuals, etc.
  Steve is courteous, the service is good, I'm one impressed customer.
• Marco Specialities also sell spare parts.
• Mark Laurie has the Gottlieb System 1 schematics (Local mirror [811K]).
• The rec.games.pinball FAQ.

hits since 2000-03-01. Back to Wouter's page (Last updated 2013-04-09)

Wanted / Wish list Bally Elektra (1981) Bally Fathom (1980) Bally Paragon (1978) Bally Twilight Zone (1993) Bally Xenon (1979) Gottlieb Black Hole (1981) Gottlieb Genie (1979) Any EM (Electromechanical) pinball at a reasonable price...