Author Topic: Peale's Donkey Kong Restoration/Conversion (Read 18691 times)

SirPeale · « **on:** June 21, 2008, 06:08:29 pm »

In the bulk buy of classic games I picked up a few months ago was a Donkey Kong.

I was going to do a simple restoration on this until I found out about Donkey Kong II, so I'm going to convert it to D2K.

Today I pulled the power module from the bottom. I have a Sanyo EZ at the house and would need it to properly power it up. While I had it out, I figured I'd clean and paint it.

So far I've got the power supply disassembled. What a pain. Pictures pending.

Actually, you can see some pictures of the machine itself on my site, IIRC.

Level42 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2008, 07:18:22 pm »

O no, not ANOTHER Donkey Kong !

I have to applaud you for being able to open up the power supply. I've got two here, one working, one not. I gave up trying to even open it.....

SirPeale · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2008, 07:27:23 pm »

I got it open, but I hope I can get it back together again. If it wasn't so damn rusty I wouldn't have bothered. I broke one of the screws in the dismantling process.

And...heh...there are a ton of DK restos right on top here, right?

CheeseSndwch · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2008, 08:20:43 pm »

The D2K artwork/color scheme looks great.

JeepMonkey · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2008, 09:38:10 pm »

Yeah, they might as well rename this forum to the Donkey Kong Restoration forum.

I can't wait to see a cab fully decked out in DK2 gear.

BUCKETHEAD · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2008, 01:40:23 am »

Quote

Yeah, they might as well rename this forum to the Donkey Kong Restoration forum

If you don't have a DONKEY KONG, You don't have SH!T. lol.

Level42 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2008, 10:36:57 am »

Somebody please ship me a DK cab in need of resto

So far I'm pretty happy with Mario. It's a much more addictive game than I thought. ALL arcade games are SO much better in their original shape/form/cab.....I had the same with Centipede. I hated it on the 2600....I love it on the real thing....

SirPeale · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2008, 11:50:18 am »

I also find it quite interesting that of all my resto threads I have going right now, this is the busiest one, and it's the one with the least amount of content!

BUCKETHEAD · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2008, 03:01:45 pm »

Quote

I also find it quite interesting that of all my resto threads I have going right now, this is the busiest one, and it's the one with the least amount of content!

It's because it's DONKEY KONG!

Everybody loves a DONKEY KONG !!!

SirPeale · « **Reply #9 on:** June 29, 2008, 03:50:05 pm »

Finally got to paint/reassemble the power unit. I didn't do the job I did with my Centipede mini, but I'm happy with it.

ChadTower · « **Reply #10 on:** June 29, 2008, 05:25:47 pm »

Nice job.

SirPeale · « **Reply #11 on:** June 29, 2008, 08:57:58 pm »

Looks like my repair job on the Sanyo EZ worked. When I was attempting to disassemble it the first time it wouldn't come off the frame, and I managed to crack it pretty good.

I've been wanting to test it since then, but didn't have the proper isolation transformer.

Now I need to cap it.

ChadTower · « **Reply #12 on:** June 29, 2008, 09:43:47 pm »

What's the eventual plan for the finished machine?

SirPeale · « **Reply #13 on:** June 30, 2008, 11:29:34 am »

Quote from: Peale on June 21, 2008, 06:08:29 pm

I was going to do a simple restoration on this until I found out about Donkey Kong II, so I'm going to convert it to D2K.

ChadTower · « **Reply #14 on:** June 30, 2008, 02:53:48 pm »

That's the immediate plan. I mean are you going to keep or sell it?

SirPeale · « **Reply #15 on:** June 30, 2008, 02:56:17 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on June 30, 2008, 02:53:48 pm

That's the immediate plan. I mean are you going to keep or sell it?

Gotcha. I'm on the fence right now. I'd need a place to keep it. My Centipede mini is going in my daughter's room (though it'll be a surprise to my wife) and my boys already have two cabs in their room. Though I suppose I could move out the Dynamo Mame cab...but then I'd likely move the Defender in it's place.

*sigh* decisions, decisions!

SirPeale · « **Reply #16 on:** July 03, 2008, 05:38:59 am »

Went to the storage area last night to pay the rent and pull a couple parts. Brought my oldest son with me.

After paying rent, popped the DK cab out to pull the monitor, board and harness. Unfortunately I didn't bring my socket set or wrenches, so my little needle nosed pliers didn't do much to get the nuts off the bottom. As for the board/harness, it's pretty firmly stuck in the cab unless I wanted to do some cutting or a lot of dismantling.

Sucks...this place is only four miles away, but with gas the way it is I have to make sure my trips are planned well. Eight mile round trip = nearly half a gallon of gas in our van. Sometimes I miss my Kia.

I handed the flashlight to my son so I could see to remove the control panel. He was more interested in using it to look anywhere but where I wanted him to point it, so when I was disconnecting the CP I bent one of the pins, and when I bent it back into shape...yeah, you guessed it...it broke off. Crap.

I didn't worry much about it at the moment...I know it's an oddball harness but one way or another I didn't think it was that big a deal...at that moment.

I suddenly noticed a power outlet in the hallway on the ceiling. I wonder if it works...wheel the cab over and plug it in...yes!

Nothing on screen...weird...thought I remember it coming up scrambled. Coin it up...sure, it seems to be playing blind. Brightness is all the way up. Turn up the controls on the neckboard...ah, there's my "picture". Something screwed up with the horizontal sync. No big deal.

Go to start a game...nothing is happening. Weird. Oh, maybe it's because the pin that broke off was the CP ground? Crap!

I take a strand of wire and bridge the connection inside the harness - a temporary measure. Then I turn it on.

I have...picture! It's badly adjusted, but it's a picture. Good. I know this EZ needs a cap job, but at least I know it works "properly".

The joystick is broken. I know, I know...Nintendo joysticks never break. The actuator seems to have worn down completely, it no longer makes contact with the switches. I'll have to figure something out. But I was able to make Jumpman walk and climb up a ladder before getting mashed by a barrel by pressing the switches with my fingertips.

ChadTower · « **Reply #17 on:** July 03, 2008, 08:59:54 am »

Sweet. I'm right with you on the kids not holding the flashlight where you want it. Get a hanging light, I guess. I have a couple cheap LED arrays with strings you can hook around just about anything, run on a couple AAAs and light up a small area like the second coming.

2600 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 03, 2008, 01:58:54 pm »

I picked up one of those LED lights that you strap around your head at Target for like $20. I think it was made by Energizer and has a couple different modes plus it tilts so you can aim it. At first I got it for when I was doing some work laying a floor in the attic, now I use it all the time.

SirPeale · « **Reply #19 on:** July 03, 2008, 02:17:33 pm »

Quote from: 2600 on July 03, 2008, 01:58:54 pm

I picked up one of those LED lights that you strap around your head at Target for like $20. I think it was made by Energizer and has a couple different modes plus it tilts so you can aim it. At first I got it for when I was doing some work laying a floor in the attic, now I use it all the time.

I have one of those. Should have brought it.

Quote from: ChadTower on July 03, 2008, 08:59:54 am

Sweet. I'm right with you on the kids not holding the flashlight where you want it. Get a hanging light, I guess. I have a couple cheap LED arrays with strings you can hook around just about anything, run on a couple AAAs and light up a small area like the second coming.

I wanted him to feel useful. I brought him along to have some father-son time and get him out of the house.

SirPeale · « **Reply #20 on:** July 03, 2008, 02:35:16 pm »

I have now officially paid for my D2K art. I can't wait to see it.

JeepMonkey · « **Reply #21 on:** July 04, 2008, 09:34:44 am »

Where are you getting the art?

Level42 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 04, 2008, 04:04:50 pm »

Quote from: JeepMonkey on July 04, 2008, 09:34:44 am

Where are you getting the art?

At the only place that makes it I guess......

http://thisoldgame.com/donkeykong2.html

SirPeale · « **Reply #23 on:** July 04, 2008, 06:25:55 pm »

ChadTower · « **Reply #24 on:** July 04, 2008, 09:22:18 pm »

Quick! Scan it and put it in the AAL!

(yes, that's a joke)

SirPeale · « **Reply #25 on:** October 15, 2008, 02:29:35 pm »

*FINALLY* got the Sanyo 20-EZ capped. Thank you, Mouser. I did forget two caps, a couple of NP ones. I'll replace them in the future, but for now everything appears to be working great. I'll know better once I get this in the DK cab. Right now I have it hooked to my monitor test fixture, and everything is inverted. I don't have an inverter to get the proper colors, and sadly, DK doesn't have a test feature that I'm aware of.

SirPeale · « **Reply #26 on:** October 30, 2008, 01:41:36 pm »

Got DK out of storage today. Put in a freshly capped EZ. Looked great, just a bit hot on red and slightly out of focus. Red was easy, but the damn flyback shield will have to come off to adjust the focus.

Tried to remove the marquee, but the screws are so far rusted I can't get them to budge even a little. Don't remember if they screw into wood or a T nut. Looks like it won't be lit for Halloween.

SirPeale · « **Reply #27 on:** November 28, 2008, 06:38:20 pm »

Since I'm quickly running out of nice (non-snow) days here, I decided to work on this beastie today.

Basically I pretty much stripped the beastie completely down to nothing. Busted out the sander and sanded the heck out of the bottom of the cab. At some point in it's existence something liquid was in the bottom, and stained it. You can still see it, but it's greatly reduced.

Took a blowtorch to the marquee retainer screws. It was just so rusted I couldn't move it at all. It came out easily after that.

I'm on the fence right now if I'll change the connectors over to a single edge connector or leave it as-is.

I'm still stuck not being able to remove 1/2 the bolts from the control panel. 1/2 came out easily, the other 1/2 are rusted just enough that I can't remove them. Wouldn't be a problem if I could stop the bolt from turning - but I can't. I fear that I'll have to break down and actually pay $10 for eight bolts from Mikes Arcade, unless someone has an idea how I can remove the old ones without cutting a groove with a Dremel.

RetroACTIVE · « **Reply #28 on:** November 29, 2008, 08:59:08 am »

This may not work... but it's an idea... Try slotting the end of the bolt that protrudes from the nut (if there is anything there to get ahold of). Then use a small slotted screwdriver to hold it stationary while turning the nut. Also apply a bit of penatating oil on the nut side and let it sit for a long whole before attempting to turn it.

I hear ya on the 10 dollar bolt issue

SirPeale · « **Reply #29 on:** November 29, 2008, 10:28:15 am »

Quote from: RetroACTIVE on November 29, 2008, 08:59:08 am

This may not work... but it's an idea... Try slotting the end of the bolt that protrudes from the nut (if there is anything there to get ahold of). Then use a small slotted screwdriver to hold it stationary while turning the nut. Also apply a bit of penatating oil on the nut side and let it sit for a long whole before attempting to turn it.

I hear ya on the 10 dollar bolt issue

I thought about that, but even the thinnest Dremel disc will trash the bolt end.

There is a Fastenal here in town. Never been there, but I'm going to give them a shot.

Level42 · « **Reply #30 on:** November 29, 2008, 03:54:26 pm »

Coke loosens bolts.

SirPeale · « **Reply #31 on:** November 29, 2008, 08:10:53 pm »

Most of the mounting hardware was rusted, so I wire wheeled it today, and used Rust-Oleum Rust Converter to paint them with. They don't look original, but I think they look good. And they're now more protected from further rust.

After it dried I reassembled the cab enough so I could pop the monitor back in since I don't have room to leave it lying around. While I was at it I hooked the PCB back up. Guess what? It's not working any more.

You turn on the game and you can hear a fraction of the startup sound, but that's it.

I probably caused it myself when I was putting the connectors back on. For whatever reason the 10P connector isn't like the other connectors on the board, and when I put it on I found that I put it on *backwards*. Odd, because every other connector on the board faces one way, and this one faces the other way. I had to consult the manual to find this out.

SirPeale · « **Reply #32 on:** November 29, 2008, 08:11:41 pm »

Quote from: Level42 on November 29, 2008, 03:54:26 pm

Coke loosens bolts.

That's true, but I don't want to soak the CP in Coke if I can help it.

ChadTower · « **Reply #33 on:** November 30, 2008, 12:39:28 pm »

How are these bolts different from a standard carriage bolt you'll get at any hardware store?

SirPeale · « **Reply #34 on:** November 30, 2008, 01:17:28 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on November 30, 2008, 12:39:28 pm

How are these bolts different from a standard carriage bolt you'll get at any hardware store?

They're metric. And tiny. I could live with changing it to Imperial, but in that size I might as well just go with metric since I'll have to send away for them anyway.

Level42 · « **Reply #35 on:** November 30, 2008, 03:17:17 pm »

Even here, you cannot find them ! M5 (5mm.) is the smallest "regular" carriage bolt size overhere. The Nintendo's are 4mm. (M4). I was lucky that Luigi found a source and ordered a bunch. He was extremely nice and shared some of them with me for a much better price than the 10 bucks.....

SirPeale · « **Reply #36 on:** November 30, 2008, 06:27:01 pm »

I thought they were M3. According to Mikes Arcade they are...

ChadTower · « **Reply #37 on:** December 01, 2008, 09:28:04 am »

Hrm. Harborfreight carries metric assortments, I think.

SirPeale · « **Reply #38 on:** December 01, 2008, 03:33:53 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on December 01, 2008, 09:28:04 am

Hrm. Harborfreight carries metric assortments, I think.

Yeah, but in that size?

Level42 · « **Reply #39 on:** December 05, 2008, 03:06:41 am »

Quote from: Peale on November 30, 2008, 06:27:01 pm

I thought they were M3. According to Mikes Arcade they are...

I think the coin door bolts are M3. Got a link ?


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