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Whirlwind pin

Pudsey pinball

Site Supporter
10 Years
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds,uk
Hey all picking up a whirlwind pin up this weekend (can't wait)
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any hidden horrors I should look for with this particular game?
 
Cool, hope it's a nice one. Mine had very few issues apart from cosmetic. It would seem the skyway toll lamps board sometimes needs the header pins solder joints reflowing. The plastics can get trashed so worth buying a slack handful of bullet washers.

I'd love to own another one. So if it doesn't float your boat..........!!!

Good luck with it mate
 
Thanks gaz,think they said topper is missing and the cellar kick out sticks but overall t looks good gonna site it next to my earthshaker ,but it'll get a stripdown and clean!
 
Good call on Whirlwind
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If it's just the topper plastic that's missing and the fan is still there then you can get replacements. Fan might be a bit trickier to find (if it is missing then check inside the top of the backbox to see if the board that runs it is still there, its attached to the top rather than the back). The catch for the up/down ramp can get worn and make it pop up and down a few times before it catches but that can easily be fixed with a shim. Check the displays look ok as they are expensive to replace. Broken plastics are the main thing to check as some of them can be hard to get hold of (took me a while
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) so check the following:

  • Slingshots
  • Blue skillshot plastic behind the 3 bank drops (this can take a beating)
  • Thin plastics either side of the up/down ramp
  • Entrance to the jackpot ramp as this takes some hits and can crack
  • Wear around both cellar holes

I'd recommend getting a cliffy protector for the ramp entrance asap and you might want to consider the Pinbits plastic protector kit, I'm well pleased with mine. Is it a mylar or diamond plate pf? Also have a look at the backglass and check out the logo on the kids cap, if it's an early machine like mine then they'll be a W sticker covering up the C thats painted on, later machines have the W painted on.

Stick some pics up once you get it
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Yeah I think the fan I there but no plastic,I'll give it a good look over when I puck it up but from the pcs the playfield looked good and the displays gOod n bright ,by the looks of it it's been a home use game all it's life
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Well folks travelled far and at the end of my journey.........what did I find ? Defo not the whirlwind I was expecting or the same as the heap load of pics I'd seen,I'd seen an obvious mix of 2 machines and was not pleased! It had faults all over,broken plastics,non working lamps ( not just blown) lots of warped plastics and even the ramps are warped ,no topper or fan motor ,filthy playfield ,odd legs,cellar kick outs not working,slingshots didn't work and ramp didn't lift, need I go on? DID I BUY IT ? Yes I did at a much reduced price
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, I wanted to walk away so so angry but dispared at leaving the pin there to an obvious horrid end! I've taken some pics of it that I'll share with you all when I get chance to get up here! I've now begun to strip it down and by the looks it will be ok,a pin saved in time now on to the restoration it'll never be perfect but saved....
 
Gutted. At least it's being rescued.

Was it from a group member? I should hope not with that description!
 
No it was from a family home,it prob was an ex arcade but may have been it pretty good nick until it had been with the family and moved from home to home in the last 12 years and the kids beating the hell out of it,and the family friend attempting the repairs on it
 
Well done for saving the pin, but more fool you for not walking away.

You do like a hard time getting them back working.

Lets all get ready for the "has anybody got any Whirlwind parts" thread.

Sorry it was not as you where hoping for, I know you where looking forward to collecting this and with little work have a nice machine. Looks like its going to be a whole load of work but I am sure you will end up with a pin you are proud off at the end of it.
 
Man, i really hate those vague descriptions and the inevitable dissapointment that comes when you first clap eyes on the thing. Every machine i have bought in a situation like that has -at some point- gave me a LOT of joy, regardless of what work it needed. Its not all bad, you will learn a ****load about the machine and probably enjoy fixing it up anyway.
 
I'm gutted for you mate, but good on you for taking it home anyway
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Lets all get ready for the "has anybody got any Whirlwind parts" thread.



I think I might have beat you to the punch unfortunately for you as I've been snapping you WW bits I needed for mine for the last few months and there wasn't much out there when I was looking.....plastics wise anyway
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There was a guy on US ebay selling a lot of different plastics so you might want to have a look there. I had the bits I needed off him but he had a fair selection. If he offers you a repro though I wouldn't bother as the one I got from him was sh*t quality.
 
Well after the lat day or so stripping this pin down it actually don't seem too bad ,playfield has cleaned up well req an overlay or around Spiner's and new spinner decals,the plastics ave cleaned up and have been heat flattened so ain't too bad ,odd one is damaged but can be reused,got the slings working and the lifting ramp and the cellar kick out just a loose connection and a fuse,gonna attempt to sort GI prob next ,looks like one of the ramps has had it,gonna get pics on here to show progress
 
See what you mean about warped plastics, She looks like she will clean up pretty well.

Its certainly will keep you busy for a week or two.

Did you take the pic's with your Australian Camera Dave?, thought you might have with them all being upside down, lol.

D.
 
Lol upside down pictures man I hate all this new fangled technology ,I'll put more on here soon the right way up hopefully,it's cleaned up v well I'm pleased with it,MAN I was so ****ed the other day over it if I was a newbie to all this then ppl can say hey it's expected,but I consider myself a little more adept to finding a decent pin ,I asked all the right questions and looked hard at the pics to see if they were from the database and got more pics. Off him, he really was clever to doctor the pics and the description but hey ho! Now I think maybe taking the chance on it I got myself another reasonable little ok priced game
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Don't seem too bad.

Woulda been mega cool if was a rare Diamond Plate version.

Sure will look a lot better with spinner disc decals/rerubber/clean up finished.

Maybe put a bit of mylar if there is a light insert chip.

Plus,for me at least,cool making a pin look so much better(or better yet saving a pin)is always a cool feeling:cool:
 
Yeah I've got a load of pics I'll send ya man,hey that gottlieb coin door is in v v good nick it's a German mark coin slot
 
Look forward to it.Can ya pass the door onto Daz or MArk if ya go to Nick G's please.

If ya need paying then I'll get Daz to sub me;)
 
Well I've gone mad in the last cpl of nights did start on waxing the whirlwind payfield ,so ended up waxing all my games,lol more wax on and wax off than mr miagi and danielson!
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