#105 Black Hole. Make mine Day - The Classic Pinball Podcast

TL;DR

John Day shares collection stories and restoration philosophy on Classic Pinball Podcast.

Summary

Key Claims

• Steve Young at Pinball Resource is the single most important figure in saving pinball through parts reproduction.

  high confidence · George and John speaking to the value of Steve Young's work recreating Gottlieb parts and supplying manufacturers.

• Adonis Family Williams flipper mechanisms are superior to the Linear flipper system used in early 1980s Bally games.

  high confidence · John Day explaining engineering rationale for WPC flipper retrofits on Eight Ball Deluxe.

• John Day spent approximately one year calling Jeff Wager at Pinball Warehouse every Saturday morning looking for Addams Family.

  high confidence · John Day recounting his persistence in acquiring Addams Family, which eventually arrived in February after snowstorm.

• Twilight Zone machines now command $10,000+ for nice examples, up significantly from the ~$2,500 John paid in 1998.

  medium confidence · Dave and John discussing current market pricing for Twilight Zone vs. historical acquisition cost.

• John paid approximately $2,500 for a mint Twilight Zone in 1998 at Pinball Warehouse.

  high confidence · John Day recounting his Twilight Zone purchase story.

Notable Quotes

• “He has done more for Pinball than I can think of anyone else in saving it. And making all these parts, making all these Gottlieb parts. He actually recreated the parts and no one else was doing that.”

  George or John @ Mid-episode — Emphasizes Steve Young's critical role in the pinball hobby's sustainability.

• “Everything was broken on this 8-Ball Deluxe. Like the, you know, everything was broken. The coils were burned. The end-of-stroke switches were all burned up. Everything was horrible on the game. So you had to take it all out of there and put something in it.”

  John Day @ Mid-episode — Justifies John's rationale for WPC flipper retrofits on classic machines.

• “The game is so precise. It's like surgery when you hit those flippers because there's no slop. And they're so powerful.”

  John Day @ Mid-episode — Describes the improved gameplay feel from WPC flipper upgrades.

• “I did. I said, how much cash do you need? You want it done. You're going to buy it as is?”

  John Day @ Late episode — Shows John's immediate decision to purchase Addams Family when it finally appeared.

• “Every week. Because that's how much I really wanted Adam's family.”

  John Day @ Mid-episode — Illustrates John's persistence and passion for acquiring Addams Family.

Entities

Signals

• ?

  restoration_signal: John Day describes systematic retrofitting of WPC flipper mechanisms into classic Bally/Stern games from early 1980s (Eight Ball Deluxe, Flash Gordon, etc.) for improved durability, availability, and play feel. Positions Linear flippers as inferior engineering.

  high · Extended discussion of WPC conversions, rationale about coil strength, stroke length, parts availability, and comparative engineering merits vs. Linear system.

• ?

  supply_chain_signal: Steve Young of Pinball Resource, legendary parts supplier for Gottlieb machines, recently retired. Transition to new coordinator Lou underway. Community expresses concern about potential void in parts availability.

  high · Hosts and John Day discussing Steve's retirement, noting transition to Lou, expressing concern 'what's going to happen when that happens?' and gratitude for Steve's irreplaceable contributions.

• ?

  collector_signal: Twilight Zone machines have appreciated dramatically from ~$2,500 (1998) to $10,000+ (current), reflecting scarcity and collector demand for high-quality examples.

  high · John's recollection of 1998 purchase price and Dave's current market assessment of $10,000+ for nice examples.

• ?

  restoration_signal: Pinball Life (Terry DeWitt) and Pinball Resource enable restoration through custom WPC flipper mechanism kits with configurable coils and end-of-stroke switches, reducing need for period-correct sourcing.

  high · John describing custom configurations available from Pinball Life and how this reduces restorer burden vs. original sourcing.

• ?

  community_signal: Strong community advocacy for Steve Young's legacy and recognition of his irreplaceable role in pinball's survival. Hosts note that 'people still piss on him' despite his contributions, suggesting interpersonal friction.

Topics

Sentiment

positive(0.85)— Episode is deeply nostalgic and celebratory of John Day's collection and restoration work. Hosts and guest express genuine admiration for each other and for industry figures like Steve Young. Some light criticism of WPC retrofits (philosophical debate) but overall very warm and appreciative tone throughout.