Dave_K.'s 29" Astro City 2 cab project (multiple image warning)

[Dave_K.]

This thread will cover a new project of mine to restore/customize an Astro City 2 cab.   

I wasn't even aware that there are 3 different 29" astro city model cabs available, with the only difference being the sound pod on top.  The original "Astro City" has small inset speakers.  The "New Astro City" has the speakers poking out more (aimed down at the player), and the "Astro City 2" cab (mine) has larger speakers which face down to the player.

[update]
After talking to some other collectors of these cabs, the "Astro City 2" is a newer model than the "New Astro City" version.
[/update]
 
I was very lucky to find this locally, and had Dek help me transport it back to my place (thanks again Dek!)  The cab is already in decent enough shape to be playable, but there are a lot of cosmetic issues, dirt/mold issues, and crappy control issues I plan to work on. 

The cab came with a jpac (original owner used it as a mame machine), but since I don't have an arcadevga card, I just threw in a cheap jamma game to test everything out.

[Truz]

mmmm nice! I want one of these badly for a dreamcast cabinet.

[Dave_K.]

Did I mention these cabs are small?    The height of the control panel is actually shorter than my Namco Exceleena (actually 3" shorter).  From floor to the bottom edge of the control panel its 22.5".   Its pretty cramped to put your legs under this panel, even with the small stool pictured above.

Here is a comparison of the astro against a standard Midway cab w/25" monitor.

[Dave_K.]

mmmm nice! I want one of these badly for a dreamcast cabinet.

Thats pretty much my idea too...stay tuned...
Also checkout my Exceleena cab with Dreamcast inside...

[Dave_K.]

Here is a closer look at sides which are pretty scuffed up...probably the result of a dozen or so moves from half way around the world.  There is also two different types of packing tape still stuck to the back which doesn't seem to be coming off to easily.  The astro stickers are also screwed up on the bottom ends.

[Dave_K.]

Rotating the monitor on an Astro is not as easy as the Exceleena.  You have to completely remove the monitor and put it back rotated (not any different than any other cab if you think about it).  I was able to remove the 29" monitor by myself but suggest getting a friend to help.  The entire front half has to be removed first (no hinges like the Exceleena).

[Dave_K.]

Here are two shots of the insides.  I am always surprised to see caked on dirt inside a cab (how the heck does that happen?)  There is also a fair amount of mold,probably some split drinks from long ago.

The sticks and buttons are Seimitsu or chiniese knock offs (not sure which).  These buttons click when you press them (like happ buttons).

[Mr-Megalo]

yep - there are 3 astro city cabs, the Astro 2 also has a different PSU to the New Astro City

[Dave_K.]

yep - there are 3 astro city cabs, the Astro 2 also has a different PSU to the New Astro City

http://img20.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img20&image=kitchenarcade18bz.jpg

After looking closer at the PSU, I realized its a mono amp, and the speaker plug in the control panel (although being stereo) is wired mono.  So my guess is the New Astro City is actually newer than the "2" model, and the PSU is updated with a stereo amp.

Wow your's is in nice condition!  Your speaker pod and coin slot are actually the same color as the rest of the cab! 

[SNAAKE]

Nice cab..are those sanwa sticks ?? I never tried sanwa ? Are they good for fighting games ??
(might have to try one of these someday)

[Dave_K.]

Nice cab..are those sanwa sticks ?? I never tried sanwa ? Are they good for fighting games ??
(might have to try one of these someday)

I believe these are Seimitsu sticks/buttons.  These buttons click when you press them, unlike Sanwa.  I know a lot of people on the neogeo and shoruken forums prefer sanwa for their console fighter pads...so it must be good for fighters...but its more a matter of taste, and being true to original japanese arcade machines.  If you are used to Happ sticks, these will feel cheap and breakable.    You have to play these with finesse.

I will probably end up selling these as I want to get different colors.

[spiffyshoes]

If the buttons click like a Happ button then they aren't semitsu.  Semitsu are silent similar to sanwa buttons.  I think your buttons are some cheap knock off china buttons.  Bao-lian a chinese company that makes knock offs of many different arcade parts makes a button like those that make a clicky noise.

http://www.bao-lian.com/e_product.asp

[Dave_K.]

Thanks for the info spiffyshoes.  The bottoms off these buttons don't look like the ones on that Bao-Lian site, but I agree they are probably knock-offs because of the clicking.  Whats strange is these same buttons came on my Exceleena too.

[Mr-Megalo]

Dave - picked up the Aero table and the empty minicute today

heres a pic

http://img205.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img205&image=astro2andaerotable5mh.jpg

Big respect to my Man "halo" without him my dreams would not be so easily attainable

[Dave_K.]

Dave - picked up the Aero table and the empty minicute today

I like the Aero table.  To bad they don't make those anymore.  Did you get rid of the universal looking standup?

[spiffyshoes]

Not that it really matters that much but do your buttons look like these ones?

http://www.excellentcom.net/images/Button%20A.jpg

EvilAngelous: You didn't get rid of your Net City universal cab did you?  Those things are awsome!!

[Dave_K.]

Not that it really matters that much but do your buttons look like these ones?

http://www.excellentcom.net/images/Button%20A.jpg

Yep thats them.

EvilAngelous: You didn't get rid of your Net City universal cab did you?  Those things are awsome!!

I think that was a chinese knockoff not a real universal, but still cool none-the-less.

[tbombaci]

Here is a closer look at sides which are pretty scuffed up...probably the result of a dozen or so moves from half way around the world.  There is also two different types of packing tape still stuck to the back which doesn't seem to be coming off to easily.  The astro stickers are also screwed up on the bottom ends.

Softscrub should take off the scuffs.

-Tom

[Dave_K.]

Softscrub should take off the scuffs.

Unfortunally those scuffmarks are the base black plastic showing through from under the white paint.

[Mr-Megalo]

in answer to Dave and Spiffys Q,

yea I sold the Naomi 'Clone' a couple of days ago

it was indeed a chinese copy of the stand up Naomi cab,wired to JAMMA standard (not JVS as with official Sega Naomi cabinets)
structurely the cabinet was a work of art, but the chinese brand monitors are not as good a quailty. Fantastic cab to play MvC 2 on once any little jobs (that invariably need doing with clone cabs) had been sorted.

[albert_c]

How much does it weigh?

[Dave_K.]

How much does it weigh?

You talking about the Astro City 2 cabinet?  Maybe 150 pounds.

[Goz]

Not that it really matters that much but do your buttons look like these ones?

http://www.excellentcom.net/images/Button%20A.jpg

EvilAngelous: You didn't get rid of your Net City universal cab did you?  Those things are awsome!!

SPiffy,

Not sure if I should thank you or damn you for posting the link above.

I hadn't ever been to that online store and now it looks like I might be dropping some $ their way.

I didn't think there were that many of us on this board that like the JAP cabs.

Anyone try any of these translucents ?

And Dave.... Sweet score on the cab!


-Goz

[big_ruby]

Just bought a Astro city cab.But it missing the control panel.Is there any difference in The CP for the 3 different units?

[Mr-Megalo]

http://img120.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img120&image=naomicopypanel7kt.jpg
http://img143.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img143&image=naomimvc27nt.jpg

that panel is the exact same shape as the panels found on Naomi cabs and Sega Astro's (all 3 variants) if your missing the original, you could get a re-pro

http://www.riverservice.co.jp/PARTS/conpane_e.html

they sell repro panels as pictured here
http://img20.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img20&image=kitchenarcade18bz.jpg

[Dave_K.]

Just bought a Astro city cab.But it missing the control panel.Is there any difference in The CP for the 3 different units?

If riverservice is too expensive, you could ask richardp what the price is of his custom astro city panels.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,34558.0.html

In fact, I think this astro that just went up on ebay looks like one of his.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13716&item=6171135823&rd=1

[Dave_K.]

Just a small update.  My astro project got sidetracked when I bought a broken windy 29 cab a couple weeks ago.  The monitor neck was cracked when the owner tried to rotate the monitor.  The Windy does not use a monitor frame like Neo's or Astro's, instead, the monitor tube is mounted directly into the plastic frame of the cab via a pair of big metal handles.  The monitor PCB is mounted on a seperate shelf below the monitor.  You have to be VERY carefull rotating the monitor because the tube is damn heavy, and the neck is exposed.  I recommend tipping the cab on its back when removing/rotating the monitor (to get better leverage).

Since the astro is in disarray, I transplanted the nano tube over to the windy (along with the nano pcb) and was able to get it operational inside a day/night.  Here is a before and after shot of the Windy.

[mattr]

Pretty in pink.

Do you have plans to restore the exterior of the cabinet in particular the lower front?

Cheers,
Matt

[Dave_K.]

Pretty in pink.

Do you have plans to restore the exterior of the cabinet in particular the lower front?

Cheers,
Matt

Yeah, I don't like the way the doors yellowed, but the cab itself is not exactly white (sort of a cream color)...so no chance in finding a color match in spray paint.  I think I'll just leave as is, since I'll be busy enough giving the Astro cab a full paint treatment.

[mattr]

I think I'll just leave as is, since I'll be busy enough giving the Astro cab a full paint treatment.

Im keen to know how that goes as I will have a similar task on my hands shortly.

[Mr-Megalo]

I'm bumping this thread

Dave we need updates on your progeress !  new pics would be nice too

[Dave_K.]

1 year later, and I finally got around to finish this repaint job.  I'm not very happy with the results as although Krylon Fusion paint is supposed to bond to all types of plastics, it does not bond very well to fiberglass.  Also I started painting the base of the cab one month, and finished the other parts in a different month, as a result, parts came out in different shades of orange because of the tempreture changes!  Doh! The color difference are not very noticeable in low light conditions thankfully.  But I'm still not happy that the paint can easily scratch off now.

Learned my lesson here, if you want to repaint your japanese cab, bring it to an autobody shop, as auto paint is pretty much the only thing that will stick to it well.

Compare these pics with the ones above, and you will see, I took the cabinet completely apart.  Every single screw came out (except for two that were striped).  Painted the insides black, outside orange.  Yeah I was going to for something unique and different looking. 

[Mr-Megalo]

whoa - that took a minute or so to sink in !

I'm digging the colour - it is certainly very bold and in your face.

I've heard mixed reactions about Krylon paint - did you use any primer first ?

overall I think the look is nice - but if like me the finish of the paint work isn't up to par then a trip to a local bodyshop will probably be the only way to make it look to the standard you want - I myself have only ever resprayed one cabinet by hand. . . . . NEVER again !

overall I like it - and i'm glad to see you have managed to get around to sorting it all out . which brand monitor did you fit BTW ?

[Dave_K.]

Krylon Fusion advertises it molecularly bonds with all types of plastic, no need for priming or finishing (its a high-gloss), and that its crack and scratch proof.  This color is supposed to be the same as orange construction cones for roads.  So it prettty much failed in every respect as the color came out dark and flat (very little gloss), and it scratches right off easily (does not bond to fiberglass). 

Anyway, like you, I learned my lesson.  Never again.  I'll wait until it gets all scratched to hell again, and then think about disassembling, and bringing to an autobody shop to strip and respray with the good stuff.

About the monitor, well way above, you may have read I took out the original Nano and used it in the Windy I bought.  So this is the monitor which was originally in the Exceleena (which I had replaced with a kortek tri-res).