1976 Williams Industries "Grand Prix" Pinball Machine
Item Details
- Seller: flyingpork
- Location: New York City, New York 10013
- Lot #: M-0026825
Available for auction is a restored example of Williams Industries’ striking "Grand Prix" Pinball machine featuring vibrant graphics of racing yesteryear and would make a fantastic addition to any motoring enthusiast's collection.
The Williams Manufacturing Company (later known as Williams Electronics Company) traces its origins back to the 1930s with some of the first coin-operated arcade games. In 1976, Williams launched the now-iconic "Grand Prix" pinball machine, an example of which is presented here today. While just over 10,000 of these machines were made during the product's run, only about 5700 were sold in the North American (US/Canadian) market. This example is in such good condition due to having been in a home environment and not an arcade and was recently acquired from the estate of an avid collector. It has less than 12,000 lifetime plays, which is considered relatively low given its 46-year age.
Grand Prix was a product of well-known game designer Steve Kordek and features artwork by acclaimed pinball artist Christian Marche depicting a 1970s-era Formula 1 race scene set at the Monaco Grand Prix. The city displayed on the back glass is the Principality of Monaco and depicts cars entering the famous "S" turn of the Monaco harbor, just before racers have to make the turn at La Rascasse restaurant. The vividly-colored scoreboard carries into the elaborate playfield, featuring race car designs throughout and racing-themed bonus opportunities for players. This is one of the last of the electromechanical pinball machines and it's known to be one of the most mechanically-complex pinball machines of its era, creating an exciting game for all. Gameplay is fast and fluid with powerful flippers, slingshots, and pop bumpers. The bonus spinners are the stars of the show and are easily among the best of any era of pinball.
To maximize points opportunities, gameplay involves alternating between the two lanes on either side - orbit shots, more or less, with a half orbit, in order to trigger the spinner - and doing it in the right sequence requires that you master the art of the post pass. Yet, because of the open-ended inline guides, it's very dangerous to trap balls, so gameplay requires fairly adept fast flipper management and judgment. 
The outer cabinet shows some minor blemishes as expected given its age, but the cabinet artwork is bright. The playing field shows almost no signs of use and the graphics/writing are all present. The stainless steel is clean and glowing. The main game glass is without cracks, scratches, or other defects. Included are two keys for access to the game internals and the back-glass section. The game is currently set to free play although could be re-configured for coin operation. The lighting has also been upgraded with newer LEDs. The unit works flawlessly.
Included in the sale are 4 pinball casters for ease of mobility. The legs can be disassembled for shipment or they can be moved as-is. The machine measures 53" long by 70" high by 30" wide. The buyer is responsible for shipping, handling, and fees.
Auction Results
- Sold for: $3,500
- Auction End: Feb 10, 2023 09:40:00PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 17
Comments (30)
Sold for $3,500
Bid in the amount of $3,500
Bid in the amount of $3,100
@CUP103 Yes, no problem. We can make arrangements to be present at the time of pickup. Once the auction closes we can help to pull quotes and figure out what makes the most sense!
Bid in the amount of $3,000
Are you able to put us in touch with a competent packing and shipping company in the Detroit area?
Will you be present to remove it from your storage facility?
Bid in the amount of $2,275
@GmbH
I assume the top part can be removed for shipping however I will leave that to whatever shipping company the winning bidder selects to use. Some companies prefer to ship it assembled and others don’t.
Here are two videos of the machine operating as well.
https://vimeo.com/797700806
https://vimeo.com/797701099
Standing by for any last minute questions that may arise!
Is the top portion removable for shipping purposes?
Hi, can do a video of the machine playing a game?
Thanks
Bid in the amount of $2,250
Hi All — Appreciate all of the activity and interest in this really fun piece. I just want to offer a clarifying piece of info on this auction — the item is currently located in our storage facility in the Detroit area and will ship from there. If you have any questions or concerns about that, please don’t hesitate to reach out. As mentioned previously, we’re happy to help coordinate transport of this item nationwide, and shipping itself will be at the buyer’s expense. Thanks for looking
Bid in the amount of $2,000
Bid in the amount of $1,850
Bid in the amount of $1,795
Bid in the amount of $1,777
Bid in the amount of $1,200
Bid in the amount of $1,177
Bid in the amount of $700
@Ocatamo The machine measures 53" long by 70" high by 30" wide. Thanks!
Can you provide the dimensions of this great looking machine?
Bid in the amount of $625
@Hangarscott - shipping should we relatively easy. There are a variety of providers who can handle this type of thing and we're happy to try and help with arrangements.
Bid in the amount of $600
Any advice on companies that may be able to pack and ship?
Bid in the amount of $575
Bid in the amount of $550
Bid in the amount of $500
@TubeGuy -- coming right at you-- right after we get a cold start vid up! :)
We need a driving video!