USA or re-import pinball machines- What are the differences

67Chevelle2

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USA or re-import pinball machines- What are the differences

How can you tell if a pin is a re-import or a US version? Is it that big of a deal if a pin is a re-import? Still looking for a CFTBL. Having no luck in my area. Watched one sell for $2850 this week on ebay out of Ohio. Thats a reasonable price, not the $4200s, I keep seeing.
 
They can be set up to run on different voltages if they haven't been converted back, and the coin mechanisms will be set to different currency.

Honestly, if you get a re-import that's in good shape, convert it back to good ol' USA voltages, and replace the coin mechs (if you care), you'd never know it was a re-import and it would be just the same. A dirty secret of some of the restoration sites is that they do just that, and they print up the warning labels and such to match US documentation and you'll never know it's a re-import. I don't care, personally, because they all come from the same factory anyway.
 
Retail is going to be about the $4000-$5000 price range. EDIT- Just found 2 of them, 1 here in st. louis for 3k and one in IL for $2800. If your serious pm me and ill help you get in touch. Or I can sell you one for $4600..:)
 
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As far as import goes, the last one I sold had to come from France, it even had a French Techs business card in it with an international number. My customer thought it was cool and he wanted to keep it. <sucked because when i told him the story i already threw the card away and then had to jump in the dumpster to retrieve it>
 
All re-imports are junk and should be shipped to me for proper disposal. lol
 
The A.C. service outlet where you can plug in a soldering iron or other tool inside the cabinet is not present on the re-imports.
 
A re-import will come with a single slot coin door that uses an electronic (programmable) coin mech. The game roms may default to the language of the country it was originally shipped to. However, you can change the language to english in the game software.
 
If I'm not mistaken.....no knocker in foreign games. (obviously, that can be added)

Edward
 
I've always wondered if my CFBL is a re-import. Everything's in English and it has a knocker, but it has a French coin door. That's the only odd-ball thing I've noticed about mine.
 
When I started the cabinet restoration on my LW3, I came across the tags that declared it to be licensed for use in South America. I would have never known that except for the tag on the inside and on the back of the backbox. I thought it was kind of neat.
 
I often see games with non-US coin insert labels. One the other day had "1 DM" (Deutchmark) on the inserts (and had two of them). Most likely built for here, shipped over there for a while, then shipped back....
 
Harley heres the info for the creature. You have your PM's turned off so I hope you see this.


Creature From The Black Lagoon, 1992 Williams: 2800
Working 100% playfield good shape.
Scott C, Phone: 630-742-2472
South Elgin, Illinois


If its gone let me know and I can probably find you another.
 
Thanks for the info, my friend, but I knew about that one and I have actually dealt with that guy and he is a douche bag and sells junk. Still looking for one. Thanks. Supposedly missed an awesome deal in Cleveland, Oh on a fully operational, excellent Kiss pin for $1875 or best offer on craigslist. I guess you snooze, you lose. A pretty far drive for me, since I live in Illinois, but for that price on that pin I would of drove in a heartbeat.
 
How can you tell if a pin is a re-import or a US version? Is it that big of a deal if a pin is a re-import? Still looking for a CFTBL. Having no luck in my area. Watched one sell for $2850 this week on ebay out of Ohio. Thats a reasonable price, not the $4200s, I keep seeing.

It depends on the pin is the biggest thing to say about re-imports. I'd be looking for interior labels that don't have english on them (like near the fuse block).

I've got a Gottlieb Striker (a System 80 pin) that's apparently a re-import, as the 'pass' button stickers are in French, it's got the French sound ROMs (plays the French National anthem, speech in French, etc), and all the interior labels are in French (you know, the one that lists the fuses, the one on the back of the power switch, 'Attention high voltage', etc).

Going against what others have said, it does have the internal convenience outlet, and it does have a knocker.
 
Thanks for the info, my friend, but I knew about that one and I have actually dealt with that guy and he is a douche bag and sells junk. Still looking for one. Thanks. Supposedly missed an awesome deal in Cleveland, Oh on a fully operational, excellent Kiss pin for $1875 or best offer on craigslist. I guess you snooze, you lose. A pretty far drive for me, since I live in Illinois, but for that price on that pin I would of drove in a heartbeat.

heh sorry man, i got that from mr pinball classifieds. Theres a couple more i dont remember the pricing I think that one and the one in St. Louis were the cheapest.
 
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