Ms. Pac-Man for $40 bucks! Did I do good? [Pics 56k warning]

[Neilyboy]

Well I finally located a cab within an hour drive of my house. I have always wanted to get into cabinet restoration. I had fallen away from it for awhile (when I met my future wife a year ago tomorrow). We are getting married this July 21st. Anyway I was looking around online the other day and came across this Ms. Pac-Man upright listed as 'Needs Repair'. So I called the guy and he told me that it works if you plug it in it fires up just that it doesnt respond to any joystick or key-press'. So I figure its got to be an easy fix.. Anyway I got it home the other night and took a few pictures.

Coin-door (First thing ill work on)


In pretty decent shape actually




Marquee looks to be in good shape








Board is pretty clean




Wonder what shed or barn this has been sitting in luckily it just looks like birds got in here. No mice or chewed wires.






Thats alot of quarters..


My first thought on what may be wrong is just the leads to the coin-mech are de-soldered maybe the game is just stuck in attract mode and thats why it acts as if its not responding


well I havent plugged it in yet since the power cable was just cut so I have to make a few purchases to get it up and running (bob roberts ive got my order almost ready)

Im really looking forward to keeping this thing as original as I can just cleaning it up a bit. I like the fact that the cabinet artwork is in pretty darn good shape.

If anyone knows anyone or see's an original ms. pac-man control panel or NOS control panel overlay available let me know. If I can locate an original control panel with an overlay in decent shape id love to have it.
otherwise I may end up buying an overlay and then having the coindoor and control panel re-powder-coated.

So much to do and so little time in a day. I got the coindoor off and stripped. I may start a thread in project announcements and keep a log online but we will see. With the wedding coming up here in the next month or so im not sure how much time ill have to myself.

Did I do alright for $40 bucks??

Neil

[javeryh]

$40!?!?!?!?   

Every Ms. Pac I see the owner wants like $600 because it's a "classic" or some other dumb reason.

[stuckpixel]

Forty bones is ridiculious, you got an awesome deal dude. That side-art is in fantastic shape, and it looks like the cab is in pretty solid shape.

I envy you.

[Apollo]

Don't listen to those idiots, you got taken. It's not all bad news though I'm prepared to drive to your house and take it off your hands and hey because you're a fellow BYOACer I'll even give you what you paid for it (less my petrol expenses of course).

[Jeff AMN]

My jealousy burns like a raging fire.

I've been trying to get a Ms. Pac-Man for a couple of years and the cheapest I have found so far is $750...and it was in terrible shape. I want to restore one so bad that it's driving me insane.

[Neilyboy]

Yeah I honestly could not  believe it when the guy was like 40 bucks after seeing everything else he was selling for soo much more (this cab was in better shape than the others that he was selling for like 500+). He said he just 'needed the room' this thing was taking up. I told him I would take it off of his hands. The only part of the cab that wasnt in great shape was the back. One of the four corners is busted off and missing but I figured it shouldnt be too hard to find a replacement back..

Where would be the best place to buy CP artwork? Best price/Best quality to match original...

Neil

[Malenko]

you did good. glad its being restored and not painted black and converted (like I did to my Pengo cab lol) Im sure mame marquees or ebay will net you a god CPO. Take pix and make a progress log, weut

[SirPeale]

Cut cord is an easy fix.  You could either use an old computer cord (which a lot of people have several lying around) or go to the hardware store and pick up a replacement plug.  Five bucks, tops.

[Crowquill]

So I called the guy and he told me that it works if you plug it in it fires up just that it doesnt respond to any joystick or key-press'. So I figure its got to be an easy fix..

My first thought on what may be wrong is just the leads to the coin-mech are de-soldered maybe the game is just stuck in attract mode and thats why it acts as if its not responding

If NONE of the controls work, it's probably a break in the ground wire somewhere. You might be right about the coin switches, though. Check dips 1 and 2. If they're on it's on Free Play and they probably just weren't using the coin slots. If nothing else, turn them on and it'll make it easier to test without having to short out loose wires.

You can check continuity of the ground wires before you get the power cord. You have a multimeter, right?

I'm guessing without a power cord that you haven't seen it running. Hopefully the guy wasn't lying.

Have I mentioned you're a lucky bastard?

[Dexter]

You jammy git! I can't get one of these here in Ireland at ANY price!!

[Havok]

You jammy git! I can't get one of these here in Ireland at ANY price!!

Yep, you'd just come home with one arm as long as the other...

 

[Neilyboy]

Crowquill - yeah i have a multimeter ill start playing around on Friday (been working 4/10's this week and get Friday off) so finally the fiance will be away at work and ill have the day to myself and ms. pac-man

Neil

[torez]

Crowquill - yeah i have a multimeter ill start playing around on Friday (been working 4/10's this week and get Friday off) so finally the fiance will be away at work and ill have the day to myself and ms. pac-man

Neil

Wouldn't that be cheating???  Well, at least it's not MRS. Pac-man. 
You know, if future misus finds out, she could say ... ok, you had your batchelor night. :p

[Q*Bert_OP]

Do yourself a favor...remove the filter board. Fling it. Doing that might clear the non responsive controls problems...

[Neilyboy]

Ill give it a shot QBert im having the coin door and control panel sandblasted and repainted now so i have to wait till i get everythign back togeter to give it a shot.

Neil

[Buddabing]

I personally would skip powder coating the coin door and just get a repro CPO from Arcadeshop.

It doesn't have to look mint.

[SirPeale]

You can get a near original finish by using Rust-Oleum textured spray paint.  Just bare it to metal, prime and paint.