An old friend has returned home....

[isamu]

Hi guys,

You may remember me mentioning a long while back that I had a Happ Wheel project that several of my friends including our good friend and resident BYOAC member Timoe worked on over the past few years. Well after 6 years, I finally made contact with my good buddy Tao from MAS SYSTEMS and drove down to Westminster to get my wheel back. I haven't seen my friend in 6 years and we caught up on the good times. He really did me a solid by keeping my Happ Wheel in tact and under his wing and not throwing it away(I have other friends who would've done just that). Anyway look at this thing! 











Talk about a modern masterpiece! It's basically a Happ FFB wheel connected to a Logitech Driving Force EX circuit board, and has an amplifier on the back to adjust the current and overall gain of the forces. Timoe is the one who did the case housing and it just goes to show you how talented he is. The materials are the exact same as most American arcade cabinets with same push buttons from Happ, etc. But look at the wiring!! It's a serious Frankenstein job LOL. I've had three guys work on this project and at the end of the day from what I recall it *does* still work! The main problem was the amp and it causing EMI issues. Lots of grounding was needed to try and eliminate the interference but some of it is still there as far as I remember.

If I'm not mistaken, I was only the second or third person in the racing community who attempted this and came forward publicly about wanting to follow Mark Shaker's path, and use the Happ wheel as a console/PC wheel. Of course we all know Mark Shaker was *THE* inventor of this idea and props goes to him for being the genius behind the whole Happ wheel interface thing.

Here is the original thread that Tim started back in the say. Check out the year LOL.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,59936.0.html


Keep in mind, this was way before Agantye or whatever his name is and the guys over at the GameOOOver french forum started messing around with Happ wheel stuff. I was actually the one who made contact with Stef Bord who I met at RSC, and who is good friends with Agantye. We used to have good discussions on the project. Of course, Agantye and his friends eventually  took it to a whole nother level and started doing their own thing, developing their own PCBs, using different servo motors and whatnot. The work they've done since then is very commendable and quite impressive.

Check out their old thread from way back when.

http://www.gamoover.net/Forums/index.php?topic=20242.0


Anyway, I just wanted to share this with you guys. Getting this Happ wheel back after 6 years brings back memories. It's back where it belongs now, and I won't be selling it. It's a relic and the Happ wheel itself is ancient by today's standards. However it's a lovely souvenir and will be going right next to my racing rig so I can look at it and be reminded of where my lunacy and crazy fetish for high end wheels started. Thanks a LOT Mark! 

Timoe if you're still around, what's up buddy? Hope you're doing well. 

[shaolindrunkard]

Sorry I missed this thread when you posted it. Super cool project, I'm actually doing the same thing but without FFB. Might post about it soon. These Happ wheel assemblies are actually really nice and interfacing them with a PC works surprisingly well in my opinion even if they are old...