Jalopy (Prototype)

This Jalopy prototype is a unique piece of pinball history from Williams Manufacturing Company, representing an early, non-production version of Williams' 1951 'Jalopy,' with artwork by George Molentin. Based on its serial number (46397) and a handwritten coin-door date of 9/10/51, it appears to have been built ahead of the production Jalopy run, within the serial sequence of Williams' 'Hayburners.' It is the only known example of this variant.

The game shares its auto-racing theme and mechanical backbox animation — cars racing to the finish line — with the production Jalopy, but differs in several details: its top backglass scores only in one-million increments up to 29 million (mirroring 'Hayburners'), its six pop bumpers point downward rather than upward, it has a single top rollover lane instead of three, and its numbered playfield inserts sit at the top of the playfield rather than the bottom. It offers 5 balls for 5 cents, two flippers, six pop bumpers, a replay knock-off button on the underside of the cabinet, and a replay wheel that maxes out at 45.

Because no contemporary trade-magazine coverage or promotional material shows this playfield design, and the only known backglass is believed to be a reproduction, its exact origins remain something of a mystery — it may have been a sample or in-house test unit later reworked into the production 'Jalopy.' Whatever its precise history, this prototype offers a rare window into Williams' design process during the transition from 'Hayburners' to 'Jalopy.'