So I was looking on eBay for the usual — arcade cabinets. In particular, arcade cabinets in my area. As usual, the closest ones were in Oklahoma City or Dallas.
I decide to check Craig’s list and I find a guy south of Dallas with a Rastan machine. This was my favorite game growing up. My brother and I used to walk down to the corner store and play it all the time. The game has a certain sentimental value attached and I was prepared to drive three hours down there and get it. The guy only wanted $100 for it, so I emailed him about it. Turns out someone else already came by and got it. He offered me some other machines, but I told him I was only interested in driving that far for a Rastan (interesting side story on that Rastan machine).
I decide to pop on The Killer List of Videogames (www.klov.com) and see if their message boards would be of any help. After signing up for a membership on their forums, I leave a message in the “wanted” section asking if there are any Rastan machines or empty cabinets in the south Oklahoma / north Texas region. Within three hours, I get a message from a guy in Wichita Falls, TX with a Centuri “Track and Field” cabinet, converted to a Double Dribble. He asked if I was interested in seeing pics of it and would welcome any offers. Upon seeing the pictures, I offered $50 and asked if he could take the monitor out. (I’m putting a PC monitor in it, plus they are HIGHLY dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing…and I don’t. BTW, nothing of the original Track and Field was left, only the cabinet, so I won’t feel too bad about MAME-ing it…though I’m sure it’s going to wind up on Hellcade. So be it.)
He accepted the offer and I’ve arranged for a co-worker with a pickup to drive me down there to get it.
Here’s what it looks like:
I’ve been trying for about a decade to get an empty cabinet for MAME. This will be a fun, frustrating experience, but I really look forward to it.
Plans so far include:
1. Patch up any bad spots and repaint (black semi-gloss). Add new T-molding if needed.
2. Paint monitor case black or remove case altogether. Trim bezel if needed. Build a monitor shelf and mount my 19″ CRT.
3. Setup PC for arcade use and add into cabinet. Rewire power button to a momentary contact switch and run it to the back of the cabinet.
4. Either add buttons to the existing control panel, or create an entirely new control panel. Current setup is two players with three buttons each, I’d like to bump that up to seven each, plus a spinner. Spinner will be a mouse hack using the serial port. Controls interfaced via iPac.
5. Remove speakers and mount PC speakers and subwoofer. Drill hole in back panel for volume control access.
6. Design marquee and have printed, or order MAME marquee. Check current lighting; possibly install new light fixture.
7. Setup temporary coin buttons until I purchase coin mechs from mikesarcade. Rig up lights for coin rejects and wire up to ipac. Possibly install new lock (looks to be missing).
8. Add casters to the bottom for easier maneuvering.
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I am very excited to start this project and am happy to report my wife fully backs my plans. Let’s just hope this doesn’t start costing too much.
-Ginsu Victim
