Repair notes of Spirit of 76 Pinball by Gottlieb 1975. This game is not fore sale.
Started with the cabinet. The back-box is falling apart, the glass is at risk of braking. Removed back-box. Removed back-box mech panel with all the reels and all relays and steppers. Found a lot of damage from water and from moving. Also looks like it had several attempts to nail it back together. Had to pry open the box corners, remove nails then glue, air-nail and brace. Then again from the other direction. The main wooden beam that the mech panel sits on and holds the lower hinges in place was cracked all the way across the frame. Again, screw, air-nail and glue back together. Install new metal L braces to help secure the box. Re-install back-box mech panel, used thicker/longer screws/washers to hold the hinges. The back-box is now solid. Never carry the game up stairs by holding the back-box. Remove the cables, Remove 4 bolts then carry it separately. Then clear-coated the lower cabinet and the back-box to slow the paint from peeling. Install the back-box on the cabinet. Install new lock on the coin door.
Started the bottom mech-panel. Removed the mech-panel, placed on a bench. Cleaned the entire panel with alcohol. Replaced the power cord. Found 5 burnt relay coils, replace with new. Filed and adjusted all relays. About half the relays were way out of adjustment. Most of these had the center blades on the stacks pushed downward to make contact. These longer blades work together to add upward spring tension on the stack. If adjusted down instead of up the tension is weak and causes poor contact on the points. If adjusted too far up the relay will buzz. Adjusted all relays to lift up properly. Cleaned and adjusted Ball Stepper Unit, found one broken braided wire to one spring finger. Cleaned and lubricated the Timing Motor. Used 80w gear oil on motor gears, but no oil on the first reduction gear. it's fiber not metal and should not be oiled. Clean/lube and adjust all switch stacks on Timing Motor Unit. Wire brush cable ends and sockets then spray with oil/de-oxidizer. Installed panel back in cabinet. The tilt assembly was very rusted, clean and wire wheel brushed. Removed the Chimes assembly and rebuilt with a parts kit. The coin door is striped of parts, nothing to do. The legs were severely rusted, wire wheel buff to fresh metal then rub in oil/de-oxidizer. Install new leg-bolts and levelers.
Started on the Back-Box. Clean everything with alcohol. Clean/file and adjust all relays. Clean/file adjust all Reel units and Player unit and Match unit. Wire brush all cables and sockets. Rewire Credit unit for free play. Replaced 2 damaged plastic reels with good used pulls.
Started on the Play-Field underside. Remove both target assemblies, clean with alcohol and lubricated. Replace all drop targets and re-install assemblies. Adjust/file all switches on Target assemblies. Replace sleeves, and yokes on all three Pop Bumpers, file switches and grease spoons, wire-wheel all 3 rusted plungers. Both Flipper coils and sleeves replaced, were swelled, sleeves too tight. Replaced both Flipper Bearings, the right side was snapped off. Flipper return springs were installed wrong. Replaced 1 bulb socket, all others sprayed with oil/de-oxidizer. The Bonus Unit Stepper was put together wrong, not landing on the correct pins. Also Bonus Unit had 2 loose/corroded rivet pins that caused 2 bonus lights to fail, soldered all rivet pins for good measure. Installed new bulbs in the play field. Installed LED bulbs in the Pop Bumpers to prevent burned caps.
Playfield Top Side. Clean/Wax Playfield. All new rubbers and light bulbs. New rebound rubber. New flipper rubbers. New plastic lane guides. Center out-hole plastic was broken in half, could not source, rigged a red plastic to hold it up.
Clear coated the backglass. Replaced missing glass lock-down bar mushroom shape bolt (hard to find!). Wire wheel lock-down bar. Install Bar Seal.
The pictures below are of the completed project with some of the repair pics to follow.
