Coin Slot Magazine - #046 - 1978 - November [International Arcade Museum]
After quickly phoning the telephone number printed in the ad,
I was advised the machine was available at $350, but was not
working. I did not know the value of machines in those days so
it sounded good to me. It was in my glory of possible ownership
that made my two hour car ride seem like minutes. My entire
trip was filled with an ecstasy only equal to winning a million
dollars.
Finally I arrived at my destination and was shown the machine
of my dreams. Well, not exactly. You see the machine was an
old wood rail pinball in reality. However, I still wanted it, and
offered to give $250 for it Naturally I made out like the machine
was not really worth $250. I almost convinced myself of that
after an award winning performance.
After a brief discussion, I
became the new owner of a Williams 1954 Big Ben. Amazingly,
I somehow got that pinball machine into my small Datsun 240Z
sports car - mind you half of it was sticking out of the rear
hatchback.
Finally I got it home and after many days and hours of ex
ploratory surgery through mazes of puzzling wires, I got it working.
Believe me, when the machine first lit up I completely lost track
of fifteen minutes of time. I gazed in amazement at every little
detail of the entire playing field and backgalss - admiring a bril
liant piece of machinery that another human being had created
with features that I had never seen before.
Don't believe me, eh? About now you probably think this guy
must be nuts! After all, what can be so thrilling about an old
wood
rail pinball that could possibly compare to the modern
digital pinball games?
Well, let me take you on a journey
through all the features of the playing field and you can judge for
yourself about this game.
.com
m
:
u
m
e
kick out hole with a sequence
mus spelling "Big Ben". When
d fro d of e- letters
e
d
the bumpers are o
ca letters lite up. As the ball enters
nl hit a different
ar the
.
the kick out ow
hole it spots
letter lite on the backglass where in
w
D
w "Big Ben"
w
/
/
big large orange
letters
appears. If the complete word
:
ttp
"Big Ben" h lights up the kick out hole becomes a special hole
At the top of the playing field there are two bumpers and a
awarding a free replay for the remainder of the five ball play. The
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http://www.arcade-museum.com/