Trying to save this Franken-Pac (should have killed it with fire)

Arcade Collecting > Restorations & repair

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Keroppi:
So I woke up today and started back on the metal. Protip: don't paint in the dark finishing off a 12 pack of Shiner.
I wet-sanded the hell out of the cp and brackets. I needed to get rid of the runs on the cp.
This time I figured I'd use the automotive gloss without the primer, maybe it'll lay down a little thinner.
Everything prepped, I'm thinking it looks ready:

So I put my first coat of paint on, and I can see the runs again!

Ah well, I figure I can just build it up and sand it back. No worries.
So, I go off to the store to get coffee and bondo (since the can I have has evidently been eaten by my garage).
I pull up and my sawhorse is...empty. WTF? So I get out and find my cp face down on the rocks.
I wouldn't have thought the wind woulda been strong enough to pick it up, but shows what I know!

So apart from the expected scratches, the point of impact must've been a single protruding rock, leaving a ding.
I guess the cp needs more bondo now than just the button hole. I'm starting over on it.
So I go inside in digust to start on the cab.
It's a hugely long process. I can't just slather it on and expect to sand it off later.
Since I am saving the art, it's a painful meticulous process.
I fill and as it hardens I use a razorblade to scrape off the surrounding "flim"...the novus polish yesterday definitely came in handy!

It wasn't long before I remembered it's time for the t-molding to come off. The top and bottom went easy, and then it turned into a nightmare.

It just started crumbling and splitting, so I had to get creative on how to get it out without damaging the cab.
I eventually settled on a butter knife and mallet.
I'd tap it in, sometimes catching the spline enough to push it up or with lateral force to get enough of the spline out to grab with my needle nose pliers.
Still, it would shatter every couple of inches. It took me almost an hour to get the left t-molding off.

Miserable, and expecting another hour for the other side, I began to remove it, and...it all came off in one piece. Took like 45 seconds!
I wonder WTF happened to the left t-molding to make it so brittle/behave so differently?
So, back to bondo. Another 4 hours of smearing and razor blade. I probably made about 10 batches total to get it all done, but it's done!

I went ahead and did the control panel and sub-wood also.
The top back is where I sanded a little too far and I want that line factory straight.
As recommended earlier, Since the top is particle board, and probably rough from the factory, I skipped making it perfectly smooth.
It's probably close to factory finish as it is.
I might have a couple more minor touchups, but I won't know until I sand.
It's dark out, so here is where I had to stop. Sawdust is messy, but bondo is dangerous...I'll have to wait until tomorrow. 7 hours today is enough for me anyways.

Malenko:
Its looking really good. Probably would have been easier and cheaper to cut a whole new cab, but you have the satisfaction of saving what you could. I'm impressed!

Mike A:
:applaud:

Keroppi:
Thanks guys. I had thought about that...cheaper maybe, easier I am not sure of.
Had I done that though, I wouldn't have a pac man cab. I'd have a cab that *looked* like a pac man.
While the restoration of this is extensive, It's going to leave me with the original 39 year old sideart.
There aren't many decent looking cabinets that can say the same, so I thought it was worth saving.

pbj:
12 pack of Shiner Bock? Not since I was drinking underage. What part of Texas are you from?

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