Hacking a fix for Gottlieb Fast Draw scoring
 Procedure by Steve Charland. Photos, video, and text by Chris Hibler, Updated schematic by Scott Charles

Gottlieb's 1975 classic "Fast Draw" sometimes suffers from a timing problem which results in 100 points being added to each player's score as the player unit advances during a single player game. Similar problems can occur in multi-player games. Steve Charland identified a very simple "hack" to fix this problem way back in 1999. Several people, including Steve, myself, and Scott Charles (seymour-shabow on RGP) have successfully implemented the hack. It corrects the problem 100% of the time.

A video recording of the problem
Click on the picture at left for a YouTube
video of the problem...

There have been some reports that this problem can also occur in Fast Draw's 2-player brother, "Quick Draw". This hack will correct the problem for Quick Draw too.

In an old RGP post, "Kirb" suggested several switch adjustments that can be made to minimize the problem. These adjustments may not eliminate the problem entirely. If you don't want to implement the hack, you can try these adjustments instead.

On to the "hack"...

The problem occurs because the "500 Point and Add Bonus Unit" relay (J) is energized when the drop targets are being reset as the player unit advances. By placing a switch in series with the J relay, we can prevent J from being energized. To do this, add a normally closed switch to the "Add Player Unit" relay (P), in series with J relay power. When P is energized, the normally closed switch that we'll add will open, breaking the circuit to J.

Note: Clicking on the thumbnails below will open a larger version of the image.

1. J relay mods...
Remove the slate+white wire from the J relay. Leave the wire that goes from this lug to the coil in place. That wire "seals in" the relay. In this game, that wire was brown but YMMV. In place of the slate+white wire, solder a new wire that is about 12 inches long. Note: the other wire on this switch blade pair is brown-white-red but Gottlieb reds fade badly so this can't be seen in the photo.

Next, add about 9 more inches of wire to the end of the slate-white wire that was removed.

2. P relay mods...
Add a normally closed switch to the end of the P relay. Solder the extended slate+white wire to one lug. Solder the new wire that you added from the J relay to the other lug. Which wire you solder to which lug is immaterial. Here I used a white wire with an orange tracer.

The switch that is added should be arranged as such: spacer, long blade, spacer, spacer, short blade, spacer, switch stack backing plate, screws. Using the right length screws is important as they cannot impinge on the relay armature.

3. The big picture...
Be sure to check the gap for each switch on the P relay. Be sure that your new switch is adjusted normally closed and that it opens when P pulls in.

Note the heat shrink tubing where the slate+white wire was joined to the added white+orange wire. Zip-ties were used to tidy up the wiring.
 

 

4. And an updated schematic snip-it...
This schematic diagram was provided by Scott Charles. I've moved the location of the NC switch to reflect where I implemented the switch in this game.


That should do it. Your Fast Draw will no longer add "phantom" scores.

If you need assistance, you can contact me at chibler@charter.net or Steve at ccharland@comcast.net.
Or, ask Team-EM on RGP.