Pinball Machines

1965 gottlieb buckaroo wedgehead pinball machine with backbox animation. Here is one of the most collectible pinball machines ever made, if not the most collectible: buckaroo. Is the real star of this machine, but the game play is challenging, as well, testing your skill and aim at hitting the correct targets at the right time.
When you achieve certain score levels, or win replays, the animated horse in the backbox bucks up his hind legs and sends the cowboy behind him spinning! The problem is that while you’re playing, you always want to watch the horse and cowboy and don’t pay attention to your ball in play! It’s almost as fun to watch someone else play so you can watch the animation. Either way, this machine is guaranteed to draw a crowd and will see endless action in your gameroom!

This specific machine also has two other big things in its favor: it is close to 100% working and has very nice overall cosmetics. Although this machine is mechanically unshopped, it is playing very well through a game. This is another machine that has been sitting idle for a short while so it needs to be played! A few glitches that i noticed were that the four lower rollover lanes didn’t seem to be registering points, the roto target needs to be cleaned as it doesn’t spin very well, if at all at times, and the game doesn’t seem to go to game over after the fifth ball is played. It does stop more balls from being played, but the flippers still work after the fifth ball drains.

Although obviously not working at 100%, i’d say that it has to be at least 95% correct at this time. You can play through a complete five ball game now, but not with every game function working correctly.

With its overall nice cosmetics, this is definitely a machine that is well worth your effort is giving it a “once over” tune-up to have everything back in proper working order. The original backglass is in very nice shape with only a few very small imperfections to mention.

There is a little bit of chipping/missing paint on the right side of the horse’s head at the top, but otherwise, only a few other very minor nicks/chips in the paint, none that can really be seen unless you are really looking for them. All of the colors are very nice and bright with no sign of any fading. The graphics are near perfect, as the photos show. Although not necessary in my opinion, if you want perfection, this backglass has been reproduced by the shay arcade group as is currently available, so you can have perfection.

But in my opinion, a new glass isn’t necessary in this case, this glass looks great, just short of perfect. The cardboard background scenery behind the animatjon is in great shape with no problems, great colors, and the continued period graphics of a western scene. The animated horse and cowboy are also in nice shape with no damage to either, and good action from both. The horse seems to have some touchup/overpainting in his neck/front body area from a previous owner. I’m not sure if the paint had started to chip away or what.

It doesn’t look too bad, but you can definitely tell that the paint is different from the rest of the horse. Although not perfect, there are no problems with any of the features in the backglass area, they work properly and look fine, too.

I’m not trying to make this playfield sound worse that it is! This is a pretty nice looking playfield, but it isn’t perfect.

All of the colors are nice and bright with no sign of any fading. The western graphics continue to prevail everywhere with a funny looking horse, a cactus, a goofy looking cowboy, and signs of the western range in the background.
There shouldn’t be any disappoinment with this playfield, it looks very nice. All of the plastics are just about perfect, no cracks/breaks, strong colors, and more western graphics.

The silkscreened scenery on the top of the roto-target cover is also in great shape. The bottom metal playfield apron is in excellent shape with only a couple very minor nicks/scratches. There are original instruction and score cards in place. Playfield features include one round dead bumper at the top, five rollover lanes at the top, three round pop bumpers, a single round dead bumpers on each side below the top rollovers, a single rollover lane along each of the middle sides, a sunburst paddle target in front of the roto-target, another single rollover lane along each of the bottom sides, two rollover lanes below/inbetween the flippers, and various other rubber contact points that award scoring.

There are a lot of targets and a nice variety. Hitting the a-b-c-d rollovers at the top lights the center rollover for a special. Hitting the numbers on the roto-target lights that numbered insert in the lower portion of the playfield. Get four numbers in a row lit and win a replay. Each addtional adjacent lit number awards another replay, so you can win up to four replays if you light all seven numbers!

It is starting to show its age with some noticeable scratches, chips, nicks, and wear in the paint throughout. Even with the imperfections, though, it still presents itself pretty well. The colors are bright and there is no sign of any fading.

With the original design and colors in place, you could certainly repaint the cabinet back to the factory specs and the result will be a machine that is excellent in every regard! The coin door and entry plate are in decent shape with no bends or dents. Both do have some noticeable surface rust in place. It looks like some should buff out but you will probably be left with some that won’t come out.

The machine is currently set on free-play by pressing the coin return button that has been made to serve as a credit button. The coin mechs and hardware have been removed from the backside of the door. The chrome legs are in nice shape with only a little bit of surface rust, most of which looks like it should buff out.

The leg bolts are new. The original lockdown bar with the two chrome end pieces is in place a lot of times replaced by a later variation bar. The chrome end pieces are new reproductions and look fantastic with a great shine. 630-352-3312 (toll free 877-432-2646) for a quote.

My preference is to work with a company that provides door to door service which includes all loading, unloading, shrink-wrapping, blanket-wrapping, etc. This machine can be for the collector or player! Short of a new cabinet repaint which will result in this machine looking nearly as good as it did when it came off the factory floor in 1965, there is nothing else on this machine to complain about! It will need a slight amount of mechanical attention in order to be 100% working, but it doesn’t seem like it is going to need much!

You can play through a game right now with most everything working correctly, but for optimum and 100% performance, give it a little attention and a tune-up and you may never stop playing it! With a very nice original backglass, very nice playfield, and fairly nice original cabinet paint and you definitely have a winning combination.

If you’ve been waiting for a nice buckaroo to come along, don’t miss out on this one! This is a great opportunity to add a nice and collectible machine to your collection or gameroom, and have fun playing it, too, unlike a lot of other “collectible” machines. Even those who don’t follow pinball machines most times recognize buckaroo as being one of the best known. Here is your chance to have your own!