Ms Pacman stlye cocktail- from scratch vs kit vs gutted original

[shredso]

I've been thinking about a cocktail cab for a few years now.  I originally planned on buying a beat non working game and gutting it.  Unfortunately I haven't seen any for a reasonable price in my area. 

I then planned on building one from scratch.  I haven't put a budget together but I'm thinking this will be much more expensive than buying a gutted one for a few hundred.  I've built a couple full upright MAME cabs and a few extra control panels so my woodworking skills are decent, but the plans for this are far more complex.  I do like the challenge but I'm not sure I completely understand the plans.

The 3rd option would be to buy a kit.  It looks like I can get this for a little less than 3 bills shipped.  I'm sure I will double that price after adding glass, conrtol panels, coin door, overlay etc.  I have a 19" Wells Gardner monitor i could use.

I do want this to look as close to a classic Galaga or Ms Pacman cab as possible.  I have an upright cab so this is strictly for 4 way one button games.

Any thoughts?

[spauldingd]

I've built my own upright from scratch and also just finished converting a cocktail.  If you can, find a cocktail!  The entire process of conversion only took about 1 day and that included repainting much of it.  By comparison, my upright cab took nearly 3 months of weekends and the occasional late evening.  I think making a cocktail from scratch would be even harder than an upright in many ways.  The cocktail is a lot of fun.  We use it for vertical games and it is fun sitting across from my kids watching them play.

Dave in Des Moines

[piecesof8]

I'm in the process of building from a kit here. Very nice product, if you choose to go that route.

[shredso]

That's the same company I was looking at.  It seems like if I do a kit, that's where to get it.  Those plans look pretty complete though and my upright cabs have come out great.  Leaning toward the kit, but still torn.