|
Year: 1950
Company: Bally
Dimensions: Lane Length: 9 1/2 '; Width: 25 1/2" Height: 16 1/4" (plus 2' for the legs)
Light Box (with pin mech) Length: 27" Width:
26" Height: 29" Legs: 2' with level adjusters on the bottom
Scoring: Traditional bowling rules apply
Display: Score, frame and game status displayed using a light bulb system
Bulb: GE 55
Sound: Bell for strikes and spares and Buzzer for end of game
Puck: 2 1/4" metal puck
Coin: Dime
Number of Simultaneous Players: 1
Maximum number of Players: 1
Gameplay:
Single
| Side Art |
|
History of this machine:
This Shuffle Champ machine began service in a bar. After about 7 years of service a person in Cheektowaga bought it for
his basement. It spent the next 46 years in his basement, used by his kids when they were young. Eventually it was left alone
for several years, forgotten in a corner till I found it. The machine came with full schematics and keys.
| Inside the Lightbox |
|
The first problem I had was getting this monster in my basement. With the aid of about 6 friends we tried about everything.
These machines were largely glued together so taking it apart was not an option. Finally after everyone had given up and gone
home my friend Jay suggested that we cut it in half. Before I could think any better of it, I grabbed my circular saw
and did the deed.
| Schematics |
|
My next problem was putting it back together. It took several hours but eventually I matched up the seams so that the
cut does not affect game play.
Next I had to get the machine working. The coin mech. was jammed so the machine would go into an endless cycle of resetting
itself once it was plugged in. I disconnected the coin mech and installed a doorbell on the bottom of the machine to reset
the game
| Alley |
|
Next I had to sand down the contacts in the lightbox with some fine grit sand paper to clean off the years of gunk to
make the lights work. Once the contacs were all cleaned up I could get an accurate count of how many bulbs were out. Finding
the bulbs were surprisingly easy. They are available at any auto parts store.
Now it was time to clean and adjust all of the light sockets. Finally I finished with the lights now it was time
to play.
I played a few games and the one of the pins stopped responding. I discovered a contact that worked that pin snapped.
Since I was hardly able to find any information about this machine on the web and I have no gaming contacts I had to fix the
contact with some duct tape and a piece of household wire. My first fix shorted out the machine and it blew a fuse. I found
a replacement fuse at RadioShack and fixed the short.
The game played great. I am not sure if I got all the bugs out, the highest score we can obtain is 114. By far my favorite
oddity, er game.
| Coin Door |
|
| Coin Mech |
|
You can also check out my write up and pictures at the internet Coin-Op Museum.
Here are a few close up shots of the schematics::
|
Click picture for a larger image
|
Click picture for a larger image
|
Click picture for a larger image
|
|
Click picture for a larger image
|
Click picture for a larger image
|
Click picture for a larger image
|
|
| Click picture for a larger image |
|
