Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)
I bought a severely neglected TOTAN back in September of 2004. The
playfield was simply a mess. The plastics were "Frankensteined" from
several other machines, including Dirty Harry & Rocky & Bullwinkle.
I soon took the machine apart and sent the playfield to Bill Heatherly
to repair and clearcoat. At that time, there was no insert decal set
available for TOTAN, so we waited. Finally, earlier this year, Jeff @
ClassicArcades came out with his TOTAN decal set, so Bill went to work.
He finished the clearcoat in June, and I received the playfield in
July. Bill did a masterful job, as evidenced by the photos at the link
below.
I then set about putting the machine back together. During the 10 or
so months since I originally purchased the machine, I had been buying
all the needed parts for TOTAN I could find. Some were easily found,
others were very difficult. Somehow, I managed to get all the major
pieces I needed. The left ramp was NOS from Bearcave, the center ramp
was a repro from BAA, and the right ramp was picked up from an eBay
auction as a nice, but used one. I was able to buy a partial plastic
set from Bearcave, and the other plastics I picked up from individuals
that were selling their own partial sets. The hardest part was getting
the inlane plastics with the little scimitars on top, but I lucked out
and got NOS ones for both sides at different times from different
people. It was like a treasure hunt, one I'm sure many of you have
been on before.
The machine, as purchased, did not have a power driver board, but again
I bought a NOS one from Bearcave - it was expensive at $400, but I was
OK with paying that because it was perfect.
I was able to put everything back together in about 3 weeks, and I
spent another 2 weeks debugging it. As it sits now, it is pretty much
as perfect as I can make it.
I bought this "project" machine for $1200 from a guy sorta local to me,
in Bushnell, FL (the "KGS Bulldogs" guy). After buying all the new
parts and the clearcoat job, I'm sure I could have made out better just
buying a complete machine from someone, but that would not have been as
much fun!
I've got some pictures here to share. There are "before" and "after"
pics here, I didn't take a ton of photos because I didn't want to bore
everyone!
http://bmorley.photosite.com/totan/
Bill Heatherly had posted back in June some photos of the completed
clearcoat job, FYI here is the link (thanks again, BILL!):
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bheath8295/album?.dir=1177&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bheath8295/my_photos
All in all, it was a great experience, but one I'm not ready to take on
again... just yet!
-Brannon
I bought a severely neglected TOTAN back in September of 2004. The
playfield was simply a mess. The plastics were "Frankensteined" from
several other machines, including Dirty Harry & Rocky & Bullwinkle.
I soon took the machine apart and sent the playfield to Bill Heatherly
to repair and clearcoat. At that time, there was no insert decal set
available for TOTAN, so we waited. Finally, earlier this year, Jeff @
ClassicArcades came out with his TOTAN decal set, so Bill went to work.
He finished the clearcoat in June, and I received the playfield in
July. Bill did a masterful job, as evidenced by the photos at the link
below.
I then set about putting the machine back together. During the 10 or
so months since I originally purchased the machine, I had been buying
all the needed parts for TOTAN I could find. Some were easily found,
others were very difficult. Somehow, I managed to get all the major
pieces I needed. The left ramp was NOS from Bearcave, the center ramp
was a repro from BAA, and the right ramp was picked up from an eBay
auction as a nice, but used one. I was able to buy a partial plastic
set from Bearcave, and the other plastics I picked up from individuals
that were selling their own partial sets. The hardest part was getting
the inlane plastics with the little scimitars on top, but I lucked out
and got NOS ones for both sides at different times from different
people. It was like a treasure hunt, one I'm sure many of you have
been on before.
The machine, as purchased, did not have a power driver board, but again
I bought a NOS one from Bearcave - it was expensive at $400, but I was
OK with paying that because it was perfect.
I was able to put everything back together in about 3 weeks, and I
spent another 2 weeks debugging it. As it sits now, it is pretty much
as perfect as I can make it.
I bought this "project" machine for $1200 from a guy sorta local to me,
in Bushnell, FL (the "KGS Bulldogs" guy). After buying all the new
parts and the clearcoat job, I'm sure I could have made out better just
buying a complete machine from someone, but that would not have been as
much fun!
I've got some pictures here to share. There are "before" and "after"
pics here, I didn't take a ton of photos because I didn't want to bore
everyone!
http://bmorley.photosite.com/totan/
Bill Heatherly had posted back in June some photos of the completed
clearcoat job, FYI here is the link (thanks again, BILL!):
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bheath8295/album?.dir=1177&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bheath8295/my_photos
All in all, it was a great experience, but one I'm not ready to take on
again... just yet!
-Brannon
Alot of work but its so incredibly cool when 
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