Machine no longer needs nickels.

As with Ballyhoo, the coin slot has 3 spring loaded feeler heads that determine whether a coin is present and what size it is. To bypass them, we detach the springs from the backs of the heads and then shift them to a position where they won’t block the slot. In the case of Lightning there were two feeler heads on top, one of which could be set all the way back and the other of which needed to be rested on its respective spring due to clearance with the coin viewer. There was also one feeler head on bottom. Detaching the spring from it allows gravity to keep it out of the way.

The coin mechanism is held in pace by 3 machine screws. These are a bit tough to access but easier once you realize they go through holes in the wood and into the coin slot mechanism bracket.

Playfield disassembly starts with removing the glass, then the balls. After that, remove the two screws holding the instruction plate and then the plate itself. The playfield just slides off forward after that.

The under-playfield is attached with a spring, it forms the new game / reset mechanism. These are a bit of a pain to deal with so I did not disturb it. But fixing the electric components likely will require that step.