WTB: Tron Joystick Handle (Translucent Blue) ***Please Read***

[galaga69]

Looking to buy a nice, presentable, ever-elusive original Tron translucent blue joystick handle (or even entire joystick unit). My buddy and I are breathing new life into a Tron cabinet and want to do it justice with the correct joystick.

Can you help us with our quest? 

Please PM me if you would seriously be willing to part with one, and include your asking price and any other pertinent details.

Best regards,
galaga69

[mushmouth]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Tron-Special-Pak-Joystick-2-games-complete_W0QQitemZ200166241625QQihZ010QQcategoryZ4315QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I see these sticks on ebay occasionally without the collectible pack and games. I always wondered if anyone had tried converting, or using the handle portion of this to create a Tron stick for their panel?

I built my machine and was active in this forum in 03-04. I can't BELIEVE 3-4 years later STILL nobody has done a molded repro Tron handle and put them for sale in here. I predict they'd sell incredibly well and we'd start seeing a lot more tron-centric Mame Machines...

I want a tron stick too, dammit. The Happs fire-top stick on my "tron" panel is a sorry substitute.

[galaga69]

Anyone, anyone? 

(Not-so-subtle attempt at a bump...)

[teknomedic]

I know this won't help you much but it may give you hope....

I remember seeing somewhere (I can't remember where, sorry) that a guy had copied the joystick handle and was making new handles, that are about 99% correct and they look great.  I think some people had said they needed to take a razor and remove some extra plastic from the process but that in the end they couldn't tell the difference.

I can't remember for sure but either this guy made a mold from an original handle or he had gained access to an original mold and was using that to make new handles.

If I can figure out where I saw this guys info I'll post it here.  Good luck, TK.

EDIT... there's this post here that might help you as well... this could be the same person I was thinking of, but it doesn't seem like the same person.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=53661.0

[teknomedic]

OK... here's where I saw what I was talking about... not sure if the post here and who this guy is talking about are the same or not... but I hope this can give you guys some leads in finding some sticks...

http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html

[teknomedic]

Took me a little bit... but here's a working link to the makers website... the link provided in the review doesn't fully work...

http://members.aol.com/specialtyplastic/specialtyplastics.html


Good luck.... TK.

[vertygo]

Just an FYI, Discs of Tron (DOT) I believe used a different style joystick. It had thumb button (s?) for 'deflect'.

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[galaga69]

TK,

Thank you very much for posting this lead! I appreciate all the information you were able to provide. 

[CheffoJeffo]

FWIW, my last email to specialty plastics was sent well over a year ago and received no response. To be fair, I had been told that they were not operating anymore a year or so before that (but I had to try).

My best advice is to keep an eye on eBay, particularly for mislabelled items ... I got my beautiful, crack-free, Tron stick because it was mounted on a bizarre machine on a big two-way handle stick (can't remember the name or the game right now) and didn't come up in a normal search for 'Tron'.

Good luck!

If you do get through to SP, I'll take two blue and two red handles !!

[teknomedic]

No problem and I hope this works out for you guys... to be honest, I've never tried to contact SP or really "looked" for Tron things as I don't have a Tron game or a "classic love" of the game since I've never played it... these were just things I've seen in the last few months when I was researching the type of control panel I want to build.

TK.

[dirt]

sp has been out of business for a while. i got one of his sticks for my tron and it was an awsome repo. if i remember right he got hurt real bad and that is the reason he stopped making them. i do have 1 extra complete tron stick left. it is very nice and its original not the repo. but it would take a large cash offer to pry it out of my hands.

[Kremmit]

Hmm, that's interesting, though.  I swear I remember Specialty Plastics website being taken down a long time ago.. if so, somebody put it back up again. 

[saint]

I sent them an email asking for an official answer on whether or not they're back in business but haven't heard

[maxmix]

Discs of Tron had a deflect (Little red illuminated button) very similair to the Asteroids 1p and 2p starts....

I have a DOT in storage.... Must be one of the last in the UK (Had it for 18 years lol)

maxmix

[Encryptor]

galaga69 - There is a whole CP on Ebay right now. Maybe you can get it.

http://tinyurl.com/2s29am

Encryptor

[Stray_Catalyst]

I'm not sure what state you're in, but there's a cabinet (with monitor, cp, ps, etc but no pcb) for $100 in Vermont right now.  The guy will probably accept less money if asked nicely.  http://nh.craigslist.org/ele/469459115.html

Stray Catalyst