Hello All, Just saved a Bell-Fruit Nudge Gambler. It was on Ebay and Shpock so some of you might have already seen it. The seller was going to break it for spares if no one bought it before Christmas so I have saved it with 2 days to spare.
This is my first Electro Mechanical machine. I have always wanted one and used to watch my Dad play on this machine when we visited the amusements in Deal in Kent in the early 1980's.
I would like you experts to look over the photos for me and let me know if anything stands out as being wrong with the machine and I need some help and advice on restoring it if you think that it is worth it.
The machine has been seen working but I have not switched it on since I collected it as there was a lot of junk inside including a pencil sharpener lol so want to make sure nothing is going to short out or jam.
The things I know are wrong are the missing Coin badges which have been replaced with yellow stickers. There is also a button on the front panel which is labelled 'Hold Available' which the previous owner said lights up to let you know holds will be available on the next play. I think this Holds button is a cheat and I want to remove it but I don't know how I will go about repairing the hole it will leave behind.
Anyway I want to try and get this little machine to look and play as good as I can. I know there are mixed feelings about using new coins but I do want it to play with today's money. It does already take new 10p's (pre and post 2012) but I would also like to get the 5p and 50p coin slots working.
There is some Gold silk screen missing around the Holds lights and the chrome trims are a bit damaged and loose in places.
Please let me know your thoughts.
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