Groetchen Liberty Trade Stimulator missing parts

[ryderf]

Hi Folks, I have a Groetchen Liberty Trade Stimulator that I am trying to restore. The mechanism seems to be in decent condition, just needs cleaning, however several parts are missing. As I am not sure the proper name for these parts, I am attaching marked up pictures. 1) In mechanism_a.jpg, this entire sub=assembly which detects that a coin is in the chute and allows the operating handle to interlock with the rest of the mechanism, is missing. 2) In mechanism_b.jpg, the "coin pusher" is missing. 3) In mechanism_c.jpg, the outer cover of the coin chute, together with it's sub-assemblies to hold the coin in front of the "pusher", and to route excess/rejected coins to the coin return is missing.
Any help finding these parts will be greatly appreciated. Also, any source for "free play" tokens? Thanks!
P. S.: Special thanks to nvmos2 for posting the photo of a complete mechanism, which I used as the basis for these marked up images.

[rtmccurdy]

I have some tokens if interested. PM with needs. Robert

[ryderf]

Here are some pictures of the machine I'm working on. It is a bit odd, in that while it has "Fruit" reel strips, and a matching "Fruit" awards plate, it has the front plate depicting two boxers, that one might expect to find on a "Sport" version. This is shown in first two images.
The third image shows that it is missing most of the parts that allow it to actually be coin-operated.
The last two images show that the mechanism and case have slightly mismatched serial numbers.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

ryderf:
First of all, welcome to our Forum group.
Very interesting. This is an issue that I have been pointing out many times in the past, regarding these Groetchen models, and
the serial numbers found today. Most machines that I have on file, do have matching numbers on both the case & mechanism.
But I do occasionally find mis-matches, which would have most likely been done by operators making a quick swap, just to get
the machine back on location. The one thing that you do have to be sure of, is that the award plate matches the reel strips.
Not all of these Groetchen models had a round plate on the lower front, and it was usually the "Liberty", "Mercury" & "DeLuxe
Mercury" with the large upper plate. You don't see these models with the smaller name plate, having the round plaque below.
In reality, the only machines you should see the plaque with the boxers, are the ones with the sports symbol strips. And again,
the only moodels that should have the smoking lady plaque, is a machine with cigarette strips, but I have seen many with the
fruit strips, which doesn't make sense.
With your machine above, what I come up with, is that it was originally a complete Sports model, and someone swapped not
just the mechanism, but the award plate as well. What is also interesting to me, is that the serial numbers on your mechanism
and case, are so close. It's as if there were a large group of consecutive numbered machines ordered by an operator at that time.
There was a group of 8 identical machines, brand new, in their original boxes, found in an attic, a few years ago, by the son of an
owner, that had machines in his general store. There have been other similar finds like this over the past few years. Most of the
machines found like this, are generally trade stimulators, but there have also been a number of slot machines found in their orig.
crates. Even a couple of victorian uprights.
I still need a good supply of Groetchen machine serials for my files, to learn more about their production ranges. The reason that
I have not been getting many serials for the Groetchen models, is many ebay sellers do not take pics of the inside of the case, with
the mechanism out, and sometimes when I ask for them, they don't want to remove the mech. to look, for fear that they will not
get it reinstalled correctly. Another thing that happens, is if someone has completely restored the case, and bead-blasted the inside,
which will remove the hand-painted serial number. Some mechanisms have been found without a number, and they are not always in
the same location. Most are on the platform below the reel bundle, but many are found with a number on the side panels. Out of all
the Groetchen models, the only one that is pretty consistent with the serial location, is the "Ginger". It is painted on the inside top of
the case, and on the aluminum base of the mechanism, below the reels.
I would much appreciate, any Groetchen serials from our Forum members, that have not sent me them in the past. I have no way to
check by name, as they are all filed by number. What info I need, (if not sending a pix), is the machine name, coinage, reel strips &
award plate, if it has a gum vender, color combination, (if original), and what round plaque is on the front. Also, with the "Mercury"
and "Liberty" models, if it has the large or small name plate. This info can be sent to my direct e-mail (slotdynasty@sbcglobal.net).
Thank you, Bill