Arcade machine pics

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419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

Before our first major forum outage just over a month ago, I was asking for info to help with an arcade game I'm renovating. Forum linky (please do not necro!): http://bravodelta.servemp3.com/viewtopic.php?t=120934

This is a converted Jamma machine that has a 48-in-one game board. It's not MAME based; the games are all arcade originals on ROMs. More info on this board can be found here.

I said I would post up some pictures, but because the forums went AWOL shortly after, I never got around to posting them. Now I've had a little spare time, here they are. These are the "before" pictures. As you can see, the machine wasn't in such great condition when I bought it, but since these photos were taken I've been tinkering. I hope to have the entire renovation project completed in the next few weeks. This will include:

New marquee.
New control panel overlay graphics.
New joysticks, new buttons.
New coin-op mechanism.

I'm also considering changing the 20" CRT for a modern LCD of equivalent size (to cut down the weight and power consumption) but I'm not sure I want to do that as it will mean losing some of the look and feel of the arcade original.

Also, I will be completely changing the look of the cabinet. As you can see, it's a pretty crappy looking faux-wood look, which, frankly is damn ugly. Taking into consideration the room I am going to put the finished article into, I am thinking of a leather look finish (no, really. Stay with me here, it WILL look good!).

As you can see by the pics below, it's looking a little battered in places, but once I've finished, it'll look so good, even my wife will stop calling it a useless piece of crap Smile

I'll post pictures of the machine once the surgery is complete.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Wow, Donkey Kong! I dropped many quarters into one of those machines in the early 80's. I still remember how to do the "backward jump" trick.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 5:48 am

That game is so old school. I remember when 1980s mullet rockers thought that Donkey Kong was the bomb. Are proceeds from the coin op device going to 419 eater? Just curious. Good luck with the project, I know it'll be pretty cool when your done. Probably easier than swtiching a server I hope.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 6:18 am

Used to play Space Invaders and Pac Man on one of the table top machines in the pub way back in the late 70s. Flicking the underneath on/off switch in a certain way used to get us loads of free games! Happy days.

Good luck with the resto.

** ACCOUNT CLOSED ** Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 262

ewww the leather look thing DOES not do it for that machine Confused

they were really cool when they came out.

The LCD panel will sort of make it loose part of its appeal, and after all how long are you gonna have in ON, so power comsumption should not be much of an issue.

I got an Asteroids one, that i bought in 92, side panels were as good as gone, so i just replaced them with new ones with a black coating. kept the original screen too. I did later redo the original side paintings on it but took me quite a lot of time to find good pics of an existing machine with the paintings still intact.

Have fun with it, im sure your wife loves it as much as mine did Very Happy

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 11:56 am

I've owned a few of those in my time.
Like FF said, don't get rid of the CRT monitor. LCD just doesn't look the same and it will drastically reduce the price of the machine if you ever come to sell it. These arcade machines are going to be like antiques in a few years' time and you wouldn't buy a grandfather clock and rip out the mechanism to replace it with a digital display, would you?
Personally, I would make as few major changes as possible. Just clean up what you've got. The appeal of these machines is that they are a throwback to the late 70s, early 80s. Start changing things arounds and you may as well go get a PC emulator.

** ACCOUNT CLOSED ** Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 262

@Slightlyoutofit just made a very good and important point there.

When i bought mine i bought 3 old machines, one was gone too damaged to be repaired but i used some of the parts to fix a second machine, Space Invaders which i restored to original condition and wanted to keep, but while looking for components someone made me an offer that i did NOT refuse Laughing

and nowadays they are worth quiet a lot of dosh, especially if they are in original state, a real colecters item worth quiet a lot.

I tought that the one you have was supposed to have a little metal ashtray on the right hand side of the control panel, but got to admit that i don't know if the multy game ones were like the original ones that first came out with only one game.

what year was that one made? was there any paintings on the side panels? or stickers?

419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

This Jamma machine doesn't qualify as a original type arcade machine, such as a Pacman, Space, Invaders, Defender etc. so keeping it close to the original state isn't really a concern. Although the actual games are the real McCoy, the cabinet itself is just a generic piece of fairly worthless kit. Pimping up this particular machine won't effect the value one way of the other.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:30 pm

I'm gonna be a philistine and say put in a decent quality LCD, not only will it save on power, you'll also get rid of those curved edges on the CRT, a pet hate of mine.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:51 pm

Tommo Shanter wrote:

Used to play Space Invaders and Pac Man on one of the table top machines in the pub way back in the late 70s. Flicking the underneath on/off switch in a certain way used to get us loads of free games! Happy days.

Good luck with the resto.

Playing Space Invaders and Pac Man was very much like making love to a beautiful woman. Flicking the underneath on/off switch in a certain way used to get loads of free games!

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

This ones for sale at �4457.

But your one will look ok in leather, new trim can be got from B&Q to replace the tatty one. The aluminium kitchen trim should be fine (bit tricky to bend but once done its good for a long time.) I wouldnt change the screen, I know your good with electronics and computers but putting an lcd in with an inverter is a pain in the ass and the power you save is only around �60 per annum, Plus you must realise it would need to be a really bright lcd to reflect off the unit to display correctly?

I know where theres an afterburner for sale too for �8000 needs refurbishment. (Play to win leicster square) Someone smashed the glass, and the pay box. They sell for �20,000 fully working to collectors and stores.

** ACCOUNT CLOSED ** Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 262

hmmm got to read things with more care next time, so the machine you got is one of "those" generic machines from the midlle of the 80's.

Still pretty cool i would not change the the screen tho.

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

Just had a thought - you could make a fairly decent business out of refurbing those machines.

Especially a full size one made of wood...

I might steal the idea lol, and rent em out to pubs Razz

But i think ill use fruit machines lol.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 6:46 pm

Anybody remember the tonsil tennis game? And that other one where once you got behind the wall there was no stopping you? Laughing

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:16 pm

Gee, I don't know Shiver. There are some unsightly scratches and dents on the front corners.

I'd give it back. Laughing

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:02 pm

Mr Metibers,

Nice! I like the multiple games in one console. Also, since it is not an original game, remodeling it won't hurt its value, and will enhance your enjoyment of it.

I wish it had "Defender"..... anyone remember "Qix"?

Doc

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 10:26 pm

To do this right. forget about leather and faux wood. You simply need to have an eager lad construct a proper new cabinet out of fine solid mahogany -- no veneers -- with a 25-coat hand-rubbed lacquer finish. Just give him the dimensions and have him ship it Fedex. THAT would be a proper machine for the Metimbers family room!

419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

Don't think I didn't consider something similar Juan Smile

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 1267

veneer + a good clear coat would make it really stand out, the problem with this though is that if you get a crap piece of veneer, you'll notice the lines stand out and look like crap.

I see things like that all the time at work Laughing

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 11:48 pm

Hmm, maybe your current lad has to prove that he is able to make the whole Donkey Kong run without losing a single Mario! (and have some other lad film it) This is important to show perseverance and willingness to work in the Arcade Game Industry.
Hmm...or a very strong lad throws barrels down a hill and other lads, preferably hitmen, must jump over each single one of them or attack them with a hammer - the oga giving a whistle blow for the start of this bonus round.
Maybe even a Pacman modality is possible...
sweet night thoughts of mine... Embarassed

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 1267

By the way Shiver.. You're cheating when you have the keys to open the money door! Give the keys to your wife and let her decide where the money goes!

Viva Las Vegas!

ps: Don't trust women with keys and money

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:10 am

Radden wrote:

... Viva Los Vegas! ...

Both of them? Laughing

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 1267

Revenge will come soon, KD Wink

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:09 am

I made a 4 player mame machine in a cabinet with proper joysticks and buttons. Styled it on a Jamma cabinet, if it would be useful I might be able to hook out the links for the buttons and joysticks. They were decent microswitch ones.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:28 am

This is a bad bad thread.
I ordered one of those boards today. I've been running an internet booth built into an old upright came carcass. Now it's going to get put back to is original use. I will have a switch to swap between internet and game
machine.