1980 Stern Flight 2000 SS

I was in the middle of a Flash Gordon restoration so I wasn't looking for a project, but of course that's usually when one of your grail project pins shows up on your radar and at a reasonable price. And within driving distance. Enter the 1980 Stern Flight 2000.

It was the furthest I've driven for a pin so far - 512 miles round trip. Billed as a "working project" this thing had really great bones. New CPR backglass, NOS plastics, new rubbers and posts, Weebly MPU and SDB, new rectifier board, new XPin LED displays and it's really clean for 45 years old - a lot to love about this project. The playfield was in above average condition (the planet is usually blown out) but I'll put in a new CPR. While a lot of artwork is intact, there's a lot of planking and every insert is severely cupped.

First goal was to get it working 100% and flipping - she powered on but a ball walker coil locked on immediately. It'll boot and get to attract mode if I pull the J5 connector from the SDB. Flippers needed attention too - they were rebuilt by a previous owner but they're weak and sometimes quit when flipping. The 5-bank drop target assembly was not resetting correctly and a couple of targets don't stay up. Plus there are the usual switches that don't register and lamps that are out.

Here's the general plan for the restoration:

• New CPR playfield

• Reuse the new parts that came with the project

  • CPR Backglass

  • Plastics Set

  • Weebly MPU, Weebly Lamp Module, Weebly SDU, and Glodstone Speech Board

• Re-cap original Sound Board

• New color coordinated 3D-printed posts

• Ibis rails

• Cabinet repair/repaint with Pinball Pimp stencils

• Powder Coat on all armor and coin door

• Ultrasonic clean and polish up metal bits, de-rust if needed

• LED conversion + PCB replacement boards for many of the lamp sockets

• All new lamp sockets for ones not covered by new PCB replacements

• Thoroughly clean and re-pin all wire harnesses