# The Star Wars Overhaul: Finale **Source:** Cary Hardy **Type:** video **Published:** 2023-05-23 **Duration:** 9m 50s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lql1-5jAS4M --- ## Analysis Cary Hardy completes a comprehensive restoration and upgrade of a Star Wars pinball machine, focusing on playfield mechanics, pop bumper rebuilds, target replacements, cosmetic improvements including Mirror Blades installation, and a PinSound audio upgrade. The machine is now fully operational and the arcade owner is so impressed that he immediately requested the PinSound card be kept and commissioned additional restoration work on other machines in his lineup. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Replaced multiple damaged targets on the Star Wars machine with brand new targets — _Visual demonstration of target replacement work on Death Star mechanism and surrounding playfield targets_ - [HIGH] Used synthetic grease for lubricating the Death Star rising door mechanism and knocker coil — _Direct statement: 'I use the synthetic grease and that's what we're gonna be using on this device'_ - [HIGH] Rebuilt all four pop bumpers with polished rings and new yolks — _Detailed walkthrough of pop bumper rebuilding process showing polished rings and new components_ - [HIGH] Installed Mirror Blades on the playfield — _Direct statement: 'I'm installing Mirror Blades on this game, and I will have a separate video coming soon'_ - [HIGH] Applied custom decals to lockdown receiver using Titan Pinball products — _Detailed cosmetic restoration of lockdown receiver with decal application and polishing_ - [HIGH] Installed PinSound card in the Star Wars machine as a loaner for the arcade owner to trial — _Direct statement: 'I threw the Pensound card in there as a loner, just so the arcade owner could get a little bit of a taste of it'_ - [HIGH] The arcade owner decided to keep the PinSound card within 5-10 minutes of gameplay — _Direct statement: 'it wasn't but five or ten minutes into the game being there on location where he wanted to keep the pen sound card in there'_ - [HIGH] The restored Star Wars machine made the other games in the arcade owner's lineup 'look like they're broken' — _Direct quote from arcade owner: 'this game makes the rest of the games in the lineup look like they're broken'_ ### Notable Quotes > "I'm a big believer in making sure my pop bumpers are working 120% if I can." > — **Cary Hardy**, ~5:45 > _Demonstrates Hardy's commitment to thorough restoration quality and attention to often-overlooked components_ > "this game makes the rest of the games in the lineup look like they're broken" > — **Arcade owner (quoted by Cary Hardy)**, ~19:30 > _Indicates the dramatic impact of professional restoration on arcade operator satisfaction and competitive positioning against other machines_ > "I was on budget he spent a little bit more than he wanted to initially but he's very pleased with what he's got" > — **Cary Hardy**, ~19:15 > _Shows the value proposition of restoration work and willingness to invest additional funds when quality justifies cost_ > "I use the synthetic grease and that's what we're gonna be using on this device" > — **Cary Hardy**, ~4:30 > _Specifies maintenance best practice for complex mechanical assemblies like the Death Star mechanism_ > "Do not try applying this decal to a rusted lockdown bar receiver. You will be disappointed." > — **Cary Hardy**, ~14:00 > _Practical restoration advice highlighting importance of surface preparation before cosmetic upgrades_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Cary Hardy | person | Pinball machine restorer and content creator demonstrating comprehensive restoration techniques on a Data East Star Wars pinball machine | | Star Wars | game | Data East pinball machine undergoing comprehensive restoration and upgrade work, including mechanical repairs, cosmetic enhancements, and audio system upgrade | | Titan Pinball | company | Aftermarket pinball parts supplier providing lockdown receiver decals and other replacement components | | PinSound | product | Aftermarket audio upgrade system installed in the Star Wars machine; arcade operator was impressed enough to retain the loaner card and request permanent installation | | Mirror Blades | product | Decorative protective playfield inserts being installed on the Star Wars machine; Hardy plans a separate tutorial video on Data East installation methodology | | Death Star | product | Rising door toy mechanism on the Star Wars playfield that required complete disassembly, cleaning, relubrication, and target replacement | | Batman | game | Data East pinball machine scheduled for restoration work by Cary Hardy in the following month, commissioned by the same arcade operator | ### Topics - **Primary:** Playfield mechanical restoration, Pop bumper rebuilding and maintenance, Aftermarket upgrade installation (Mirror Blades, PinSound), Cosmetic restoration (decals, polishing, lockdown receiver) - **Secondary:** Arcade operator satisfaction and business impact, Data East pinball maintenance and parts sourcing ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.88) — Hardy expresses satisfaction with restoration progress, arcade owner enthusiasm validates the work quality, and successful budget management demonstrates professional competence. Mild frustration about LED glow expectations acknowledged but resolved positively. ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Successful restoration work generating repeat business and expanded service requests from satisfied arcade operator (confidence: high) — Arcade owner commissioning next project (Batman restoration) following Star Wars completion; demonstrated confidence in Hardy's work quality - **[community_signal]** Cary Hardy's detailed restoration video content provides educational value to pinball community on proper maintenance techniques and parts sourcing from suppliers like Titan Pinball (confidence: high) — Methodical walkthroughs of cleaning, polishing, lubrication, and decal application; explicit product recommendations; promised separate tutorial on Mirror Blades installation for Data East - **[market_signal]** Arcade operator willing to invest in premium aftermarket upgrades (PinSound) after trial period; demonstrates demand for audio enhancement and willingness to exceed initial budget for quality (confidence: high) — Operator retained PinSound card within 5-10 minutes of gameplay despite initial cost hesitation; commissioned additional restoration work on other machines - **[product_strategy]** Comprehensive restoration of Star Wars pinball addressing mechanical wear, cosmetic degradation, and audio/lighting systems; demonstrates systematic approach to extending machine lifespan and gameplay quality (confidence: high) — Target replacements, Death Star mechanism overhaul, pop bumper rebuilds, Mirror Blades installation, PinSound upgrade, lockdown receiver cosmetics --- ## Transcript Currently in the process of changing all of the targets that look like this, which is only two of them, but the rest of them were busted into brand new targets that are supposed to look like this. So I've already got the ones that are on that side over there done. Working on these two and then I'll have one more right here. Right now I'm just assembling the Death Star up in Rising Door. This whole thing is going to be taken apart and cleaned, get rid of the old grease that's in here and get some new silicone in there. And this is going to be all cleaned up, the grooves and everything, so it's going to slide easier. And I've got a brand new target down there to replace this one. I mean, this one could have been cleaned up, but I was like, screw it, we're just going to get a better one. Yeah, so let's get this all cleaned up and then make it look better. Alright, so this is nice and cleaned up new target. This is what I use when it comes to actually using any kind of lubricant. I use the synthetic grease and that's what we're gonna be using on this device. Gonna put it into the slots right here so it's going to slide easily and going to put it in here so the motor when it goes around inside there moves with ease. And we now have a working knocker mechanism, coil and all that stuff and junk. Sweet. Okay, so with a working knocker we've also got the plumb on the tilt mechanism. I think we are ready to uh rebuild these pop bumpers. I don't like doing these and then there's four of them. It could be worse. It could be an Addams Family, but still. I'm a big believer in making sure my pop bumpers are working 120% if I can. So as you can see I polished the underside of this ring so that way it a nice smooth for whenever the ball is you know being utilized and this needs to be smooth the bottom of this ring for that ball to really glide from one pop bumper to the next and gonna be getting all new yolks on here and it's just a really tedious process but you know that's why I always put something on and watch something while I'm doing this. So it's just, that's not as bad, but it's tedious. All right, one pop bumper rebuilt, all cleaned up. Still have the GI connector to connect, but I'll do that last because they've got them all tied in right here for the ground into one. So I'll do that after I get the rest of them rebuilt. But uh let me turn it over and I want to turn a machine on so that way we can see what this thing's going to look like when all four of them are done. Alright at track mode you really can't see it because it's going to just go through really quick. Let me turn the lights off real quick. There. So this is what we got going on. We got transparent red with the transparent body and then nice and shiny top to go on it with a flame red bulb inside but in a track mode you really can't really see the benefits until it gets to a point to where all the lights are going here in a second. I would like to think that it would show all of it. You can kind of see what it does but I think whenever the game's going and when these are constantly lit it'll look a little bit better now. Now honestly, I was hoping I'd get a much better glow from the transparent body. Not really getting that effect. But I think that's kind of bulb dependent on that. There's probably a different type of bulb that I could use to make the body kind of glow. But that's fine. Still gives it a nice clean look to it in comparison to what the rest of these look like. Now something that a lot of people neglect and shouldn't is the lockdown receiver. You would be surprised at how great you can make these things look with just a little bit of effort and help from Titan Pinball. I start by using anything abrasive to get rid of the stickers and residue. Then I polish it using my polishing wheel. This is mainly to make the metal smooth, so the decal that I will be applying will stick better. Do not try applying this decal to a rusted lockdown bar receiver. You will be disappointed. There you have it. This decal is available through Titan Pinball. You specify what system and how many balls are in the game when making your purchase. I'm installing Mirror Blades on this game, and I will have a separate video coming soon showing you the method I use for Data East. When we fall into the sun We're going to wake up When we fall When we fall When we fall We started something something small Out of fire out of love It bigger than a beating heart We see you next time So there you have it. Star Wars Overhaul is now complete. I did manage to keep it within budget, but I threw the PinSound board in there as a loaner, just so the arcade owner could get a little bit of a taste of it to figure out if it's something that he wanted to keep. And it wasn't but five or ten minutes into the game being there on location where he wanted to keep the PinSound board in there. So I was on budget. He spent a little bit more than he wanted to initially but he's very pleased with what he's got. So pleased in fact that he said that this game makes the rest of the games in the lineup look like they're broken. So uh chances are I will be doing more of his games in the upcoming future. One in particular should be next month and that game is that's it another Data East game but it's Batman so Batman's gonna be coming here hopefully next month and I'll get to make that game look sexy as well. So guys, the overhaul. How'd I do? Good? Bad? Did you learn anything from it? If so, let me know in the comments section down below. _(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: f430431a-eea3-451a-b891-7758fe02bbb9*