Collector Value Est.

$3,900–$7,000

USD · Market estimate

Near-mint / restored. Worn or stored examples sell for 30–60% less.

Notable Features

Flippers (3), Pop bumpers (6), Slingshots (2), Spinning discs (3), Standup targets (3), Cellar holes (2), Ramps (2), 3-bank drop targets (1), Solitary drop target (1), Kick-out hole (1), Spinning target (1), Diverter (1), Left-side kickback lane. Multiball. Backbox topper has a fan that blows air to the player. Sounds: electronic; EM knocker in backbox Actual measured weight: 251 lbs (includes legs).

Historical Notes

Reportedly, the term cellar hole was derived from 'The Cellar' on this game. We asked artist John Youssi to tell us about the different ideas found in the translite art. He replies:I posed for the van driver for which my wife Jenny photographed me. I wasn't trying to make it look like me so it's not an exact likeness. The van is the kind of thing I would draw in geometry class back in high school so it came easy. We've always had English Setters so the dog is a cartoony version of an goofy setter. This was my first game with Pat Lawlor and the first appearance of the 'hand on the button' which became a recurring theme. I think the rough sketches showed the driver giving a thumbs up but Pat dreamed up the 'hand/button' idea as well as the tag line 'any time… any where' on the truck. We were both Chicago Cubs baseball fans so the original painting shows the kid in the truck wearing a Cubs hat and the first run of translites were printed that way. The legal guys frowned on it so a sticker was applied to the first run translites, covering the Cubs 'C' with a William's 'W', until new translites were made with the "W" on the cap. The Operations Manual in our Files section is dated January 1990. Included in the PDF is a Williams letter dated Oct-20-1989 advising operators that Williams had stopped factory installation of full playfield mylars and was instead including the mylar separately for the operator to install at his option. We note the production dates for this game were over two months later. We don't know if this letter was originally included with this manual or had simply found its way into the PDF. Also, we are unaware if Williams had resumed factory mylar installation by the time production ended for this game such that any playfields in this production run would have a factory-installed mylar. Production Run Records for Whirlwind: Production Start Date: Jan-11-1990 Production End Date: Apr-12-1990 Production Run Quantity: 7304 First ship date: Jan-11-1990 Last ship date: Apr-12-1990

Where to Play It

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