My First Arcade Game

MechE

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Donor 2013
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Picked up my first game last night via Craigslist: a Joust cocktail in what seems to be very good shape.

2013-03-02_13-36-22_824%2520%25281%2529.jpg


The only thing I'm missing is the shock to hold the glass up. The guy I bought it from had taken it out because it was shot, and I forgot to grab it from him before I left. Couldn't wait to get it home and play with it, I guess.

Anybody have a joust cocktail that could help me find a suitable replacement?
 
Dang dude, that's in really decent shape! What a great get to start you off!
 
Nice grab. Here's some info off of the shock on mine.
Closed shock measures approximately 11 and 5/8".
Extended shock measures approximately 18".

Writing on shock:
Gas Spring Corp.
Colmar, Pa

FLN11B-313536-P1-28
174 2

Looks to me just like a standard automotive gas shock.
 

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Yes they are rare, but not as rare as once thought. People throw the number 400 around, but it's incorrect. There were 402 cocktail Joust pinball machines made. It's one of the few pinball machines that has flippers at both ends so two people can play at the same time.

I've heard the cocktail video Joust is more like 800-1500 but I don't think anyone knows for sure.
 
Thanks for the compliments, all. I'm really proud to have it be my first.

Paladin: Thanks so much for the info. That's exactly what I needed.
 
500 gets thrown around as the total number made because creator John Newcomer uses that number when talking about wanting to get one for himself on the short "documentary" on Midway Arcade Treasures.

Other information on the web puts that number higher, but no one really seems to know how many were made.

My serial is 23306, so nothing there to give a clue, either.
 
Congrats on a hell of a first machine!! Nice to pick up a complete one that's working too! I've owned a couple that were converted, and had to give up on them as the cost to restore was breaking the bank.. They since have been restored by others. I have a few nos joysticks for this cocktail if you need them, but yours look good in the pic.

As for the amount of Joust cocktails that were produced, it had to be more than 500.. As I've owned (2), local buddy has (3), another friend has one, and I've seen a dozen or so over the years.. Some converted, some still complete.. Unless Williams sent most to New England, I'd guess there were 1000+ made.
 
My serial number is 610334, not even the same number of digits as yours.

Sorry, I was looking in the wrong place. Didn't see the real SN stamped outside on the back panel. The number I gave was a Williams sticker inside in multiple places.

Actual serial number is 616227.

Feel like such a newb. Thanks again for all the positive feedback.
 
That is a beautiful machine. I have only seen one in person but very cool. Great game for a first. Mine was Final Fight, so I think you have me beat.
 
If you take those measurements with you to autozone, they've got about 30 different size shocks out on the shelf in the aisle (so you can look through them yourself) for all the ricers. I'll bet they've got one about the same size you could make work.
 
Wow that's really cool! I would love to have that as a coffee table.

Picked up my first game last night via Craigslist: a Joust cocktail in what seems to be very good shape.

2013-03-02_13-36-22_824%2520%25281%2529.jpg


The only thing I'm missing is the shock to hold the glass up. The guy I bought it from had taken it out because it was shot, and I forgot to grab it from him before I left. Couldn't wait to get it home and play with it, I guess.

Anybody have a joust cocktail that could help me find a suitable replacement?
 
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