Orginal arcade cab - yes or no?

[Richardgregory]

I picked up another cab to covert: help me determine whether it's perhaps an original or a built from someone.

a).  Someone took a jigsaw to the marque area to cut out a crude rectangle so that they can put in a light and marque graphics - were there any original arcade cabinets that did not have Lighted marques?
b).  There are screws holding the wood inside, but they are drilled from the outside of the cab - to my dismay!
c).  After scraping some of the paint on the outside, it appears to have an applied "Laminate" or Melamine type of overlay on top of the wood.
d).  In above (b), there is no screw hole, but I think it's covered underneath the "laminate"

Not sure if this means anything, but the construction is not made of MDF, but appears to be kind of like IKEA furniture type wood.

Thoughts?

[Unstupid]

Thoughts?

I think you should post pictures of the cab.

[ark_ader]

I tend to find that if you look in the yellow pages for arcade distributors, and when you call around you will find plenty of shells that are being junked.  I asked an OP for a cabinet and I got a Ikari Warriors without monitor for $80.  The back was off and the locks gone, but it was a cab.  Buying cabinets of 3rd parties are not the best as you will find the problems you describe.

Notch that one up for experience, and take it to the tip.  Finding a reputable seller is key. Building one yourself?  Cheaper to buy a shell and you might get some history that is always nice to have.