Groetchen "Champion"

[RastusB3]

Does any one know about the coin pay outs for the Groetchen "Sparks Champion"
the listing on eBay says it is a Champion, but on International Arcade Museum,

http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=5584
It is listed as a Sparks Champion

The listing says it doen't have the gum ball items and there are two coin tubes on the left that have been locked down, so as to not work.
I don't see where the case would allow a coin to come out on the left side, where these two coin tubes are located.
and I also, don't see where the gold Champion token can be placed into the front coin chute.
I can see where the token comes out on the right side and that is all.
In the 10th eBay listing picture, you can see where a part looks like it was recently removed (clean spot between two base lugs)

I'd hate to buy this and find out there is allot of 'hard to obtain parts' missing!

added foot note:
eBay pictures show it as a 1 cent denomination and International Arcade only show 5 cents

[altort]

Here is a couple of pictures of my mech with the parts that are missing on the one on ebay, the part on the front would release a gold champion token when the three fingers line up with the holes on the reels, the gold champion tokens load from the top of the window on the inside, it is also missing the spring loaded flap on the back that the coins played fall through, I don't know about the two coin tubes on the gum ball side.
Hope this helps.

[nvmos2]

I assume we are talking about ebay item 151298890850.

The Sparks Champion, like many machines, went through an evolution and, after awhile, the Sparks part of the name was dropped and it was sold as the Champion.
It came in both penny and nickel versions.

The interesting thing for me about the ebay Champion, is the 2 coin/token tubes where the gum ball dispenser usually is; they appear to be nonfunctional; what are they for?

The online Arcade Museum has a lot of good info and is a gallant effort, but don't rely on it as complete, authoritative, or even accurate.
For those who have followed this topic for past flebay follies, see the entry for Lion's Head slot machine;
it may make you laugh at first, then it'll just make you mad.

[RastusB3]

Altort,
thanks for the pictures, it does help. Do you have another shot of the front base area? the one on eBay is showing a set of ear lugs on the base and a clean area where some thing use to be. He says the ball gum mechanism is gone and I was wondering if that was once attached there. By the way, thanks for pointing out the missing flap on the back door!!

[RastusB3]

nvmos2;
Thanks for the heads up on the changes the Champion has gone thru.
I like this machine but I wasn't totally aware of how much was missing and now I wonder if these parts are missing due to availability.
((back coin flap, gum ball parts))
I pm'd the seller and he seems forthright in his answers and he did say there is a small opening in the left front of the base for the dime sized tokens in the left two coin tubes, to come out. What he didn't know was when and why the reels would pay out these dime sized tokens.
Maybe Groetchen used this reel mechanism in another cabinet?
The reels can pay out the gold Champion tokens from the window of the front of the case when you have the right sequence, and the reel mechanism does pay out the quarter sized tokens from the right tube, when you have the right combination and he says all of it works correctly.
He just doesn't know why it has the two dime sized token tubes locked out.

[RastusB3]

Here is a couple of pictures of my mech with the parts that are missing on the one on ebay, the part on the front would release a gold champion token when the three fingers line up with the holes on the reels, the gold champion tokens load from the top of the window on the inside, it is also missing the spring loaded flap on the back that the coins played fall through, I don't know about the two coin tubes on the gum ball side.
Hope this helps.

I can see on your machine where the two lugs I was referring to,, are actually hold the parts for the reel finger latches.
How can the eBay machine truly function if these are missing?

[RastusB3]

Well, I did receive my answers on the Groetchen Champion!

It seems this unit is missing the gum ball dispensing parts,
the small coin flap in the chute, on the coin drop, and
the latching pawls for the gold Champion pay out system.

So far, the seller has not made it known about the missing gold Champion token pay out latching system
or the missing coin flap. Just the missing gum ball parts.

When I started asking questions about these parts ( which in my opinion, are a lot of missing parts)
The price has shot from $214 to over $700!!!

Seems some one knows more than me or I priced myself out of the bid.

[Daddyfrank7660]

Hi' I have one just like it in colors. But mine is the sports reels. I had it for days myself at $200 and some. I went a little crazy on it to $750. But some one wants it a lot more than I. I need the back door off of it for mine. That's why I thought with the missing pieces it would not go for much. But I was wrong. To much to get a door. I only paid $310 for the one with missing door. It's in great shape, other than the door. I'll wait for the next one. Good luck if you are still in it.

Sincerely
Frank

[altort]

Unless I am missing something, $765.09 is kinda high for that machine, fairly common machine, can usually find them for less than $500.00 with all the parts, maybe Bill can chime in on the extra coin tubes and coin cup on the right.

[RastusB3]

Thanks, if you see one or know if Bill has one, I'm interested.
$765.00, is much more than my budget could handle
I have never seen one that had -4- ways to pay out tokens.

Foot Note:
I see where this machine has re-appeared or it's identical twin by the same seller!
E-Bay #151327533385
I guess whoever bought it wasn't too happy,,,,

The description of what was missing has now been added to the item descriptions:
Quote from auction -"Also I need to explain that the external door for the gum chute is there, but the internal parts to physically dispense a gumball with each play are missing."