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Well it took a while
to complete, but here it is, my very own Bally Centaur pinball
machine. Serial number ECE2305, one of only 3700 made. Manufactured
circa 1981, it is one of only two
pinball machines (Centaur and Centaur II) to feature an echo on
the sound; using the often missing "Say it again" board. These are taken out of the machine and bypassed
as the aptly named SAD4096 i.c. has a nasty habit of dying. This i.c. is now as rare as rocking horse doo doo,
as any that weren't in the "s-i-a" boards were used up by
musicians in their echo effects pedals and amplifiers. I've managed to
get my board going using an MN3205 (analogue BBD i.c.) and some ancillary parts,
see Repairing the SIA board.
The machine's restoration details are too many to go into but if you've
got the time, and money for parts, pinball machines make great projects, especially as you have
hours of fun playing them when they're finished. My thanks go out to
fellow Centaur owners Grant Levey (Australia) and Bill Girardot (Canada)
for their time and help in supplying pictures to complete the
artwork .....cheers guys.
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