Capcom Bowling (Q*Bert) *Update*

[DaOld Man]

This thread has been moved from restorations to project announcements.
I have decided to mame this cabinet and my progress from this point will be kept here.
I have yet to pick a name for this project.
The posts in restorations run from here to beginning of page 2.
Im going to do my best to preserve the original cabinet, although Im beginning to think this cab was never a Q*Bert, but a Curve Ball.
Thanks for any tips or info you can give me as I start yet another voyage in the world of Arcade Cabinets.

The first post made in restorations:

 on: June 23, 2008, 12:07:22 AM

Just picked up a capcom bowling upright.
It works, but had to replace the trackball.
Monitor is pretty dull too, and it has some slight screen burn in.
Now the big question to everyones answer:
Do I restore it or mame it??

[MK3FAN]

I'll buy the board off you if you Mame it.

[DaOld Man]

Alright, if I decide to mame it, you will have first shot at the board..

[Mauzy]

Any pics? I dont think Ive ever seen a dedicated Capcom Bowling unless they were released in GalaxiPac cabinets....

[SirPeale]

Any pics? I dont think Ive ever seen a dedicated Capcom Bowling unless they were released in GalaxiPac cabinets....

There are "kind of" dedicate units.  There was a company in FL that was making cheap woodgrain cabinets specifically for CB.

[Mauzy]

OIC. Glad i never bought one hoping to restore it to a Galaxian or Pac Man.

[DaOld Man]

Im not real sure what kind of cabinet it is. This is my first "real" arcade machine.
It has a label on the back, but it is worn pretty bad and I cant make out what it says. Maybe if I take a magnifier and a good light I can tell.
I will try to get some pictures posted soon.

[DaOld Man]

A little more info: The cabinet is yellow, not wood grain. It has a woodgrain paper for CPO. (Kinda looks like shelf paper). So Im sure it is a converted cab. There is a couple of tears in the CPO, and it looks like green under that.
I will get some pics soon, i promise.

[Q*Bert_OP]

A little more info: The cabinet is yellow

Oh God, I hope it's not a Pac-Man cab...

[DaOld Man]

I dont think it is an old pacman cab, its not shaped like that, but it would be freakin sweet if it was!

[Level42]

 

[DaOld Man]

Ask... and you shall receive..

[Mauzy]

Q*bert?

[MK3FAN]

Q*Bert

[DaOld Man]

Really? You guys think it used to be a Q Bert?
How can you tell?

Now, my first question: Should I mame this thing or restore it?

[Level42]

Q*bert !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We can tell because it has the same profile:




Restore it of course ! (good luck finding a working boardset)

[SirPeale]

Yep, Q-Bert.

Or maybe Three Stooges.  But I'm betting Q-Bert.

[DaOld Man]

Cool..
I was going by a picture of a qbert cab I saw on the net, didnt look anything like mine. That one on the net must not have been an original qbert.
That picture Level42 posted looks just like mine, only in 10,000 times better condition of course.
So, do I convert it to qbert, or re-store the bowling?
Or mame it?

But, the CP on mine has the player start button between (and above center line of) the trackball and the hook buttons.
I think the other pictures of capcom bowling have the start button to the left of the hook buttons.
And the panel layout on mine doesnt seem to match the one of the qbert pic either.
My panel is metal, and it doesnt look like any holes have been patched in it.
Did the three stooges cab have a button layout like mine?

[SirPeale]

So, do I convert it to qbert, or re-store the bowling?
Or mame it?

you got that backwards.  It would be "Restore to Q-Bert, clean up the conversion, or Mame it".

And the correct answer is, of course, Restore!

But, the CP on mine has the player start button between (and above center line of) the trackball and the hook buttons.
I think the other pictures of capcom bowling have the start button to the left of the hook buttons.
And the panel layout on mine doesnt seem to match the one of the qbert pic either.
My panel is metal, and it doesnt look like any holes have been patched in it.
Did the three stooges cab have a button layout like mine?

I've only seen one Three Stooges, and it was converted. 

As for your layout, it's possible they drilled a new layout.

[SirPeale]

Three Stooges: http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12950

But I'm betting yours is Q-Bert.  Stooges is incredibly uncommon.

[Level42]

That Three Stooges looks to have a smaller overhang on the marquee area compared to Q*bert. The one DaOldMan has looks more like the Q*bert.

Anyway, yes, I would be all for a restore to Q*bert. You'll have to consider cost and effort of course. Q*bert is not an easy game to find working boardsets for AFAIK. You'll also of course need all the repro/NOS artwork, need to rebuild the CP etc.

It's a matter of your money, time and desire to have it back to a Q*bert.

I'd kill for a Q*bert, but that's just me. And the fact that I've never seen an original Q*bert cab overhere.

Q*bert is one of my favorites and high on my grail-list. Very high.

[Mauzy]

Woo! I called that one!

Id restore it If I were you. Then you can go out and buy one of those neat "Swearing marquees". I want a Qbert just to justify spending the money on one of those.

You wouldn't have to restore it immediately though. I kept my Galaga as a Ninja Clowns for about 6 months till I was ready financially to dig in.

[RayB]

The yellow does not look original. Try to look for the pain color under that yellow laminate (which is what I assume is on there). Could be a Mad Planets.

[DaOld Man]

you got that backwards.  It would be "Restore to Q-Bert, clean up the conversion, or Mame it".

My apologies, working a swing shift sucks out what little brains I have left...


The paint is not original, whoever painted it was sloppy and got some on the t molding.
However, there is a place where the paint is chipped, and it looks yellow under it too, unless they put two coats on it.
The control panel does not look like any holes have been patched. And the button layout doesnt match any of the games you guys have suggested.
I have got a couple other projects going on right now, plus i am working midnight shift this week, so it may be sometime next week before I can scrap off some paint and see what lies beneath.
I also need to clean this baby up, maybe I will find more clues inside the cabinet. I know there are a few broken buttons laying in the bottom.
The bottom of the cab has some water damage, and the coin door works, but it needs a complete do-over.
BTW: Whats the best way to remove the paint without damaging this baby?

[SirPeale]

you got that backwards.  It would be "Restore to Q-Bert, clean up the conversion, or Mame it".

My apologies, working a swing shift sucks out what little brains I have left...

You're fired.

The paint is not original, whoever painted it was sloppy and got some on the t molding.
However, there is a place where the paint is chipped, and it looks yellow under it too, unless they put two coats on it.
The control panel does not look like any holes have been patched. And the button layout doesnt match any of the games you guys have suggested.
I have got a couple other projects going on right now, plus i am working midnight shift this week, so it may be sometime next week before I can scrap off some paint and see what lies beneath.
I also need to clean this baby up, maybe I will find more clues inside the cabinet. I know there are a few broken buttons laying in the bottom.
The bottom of the cab has some water damage, and the coin door works, but it needs a complete do-over.
BTW: Whats the best way to remove the paint without damaging this baby?

Depends on what kind of paint it is.  On my Stargate resto I tried paint remover, and it started eating everything.  Goof Off 2 (for latex paints) did a very good job.

As for the CP holes, it's possible they cut a new one.  IIRC it's just a piece of wood on top.

[DaOld Man]

You're fired.

Promises, promises

[DaOld Man]

Ok, I have finally got back on this project.
My plans were to convert this cabinet (which Im 99% sure is an original QBert) to a mame cab.
There is some water damage along the bottom which I am repairing with bondo, and some deep scratches on the sides (bondo again, man I love this stuff).
I also planned to put a rotating 19" LCD monitor in it, since the original CRT is pretty well shot.
I was trying to keep from mutilating the cab so it could be restored to QBert if anyone ever wanted to.
But to mount a 2 player control panel with trackball, I see no other way to do it but to cut some of the cab.
Below is a picture of the approx. cuts I would have to make.

Now the more I sand and bondo on this baby, the more I think I am doing wrong by cutting on it.
I sold the Capcom Bowling board that came with it, and I know that it will cost me to get the qbert board, good monitor, and artwork.
Im thinking maybe mameing it with a good vertical CRT monitor and only games that have the same controls as qbert, and qbert being the "boot up" game. And using whatever qbert art i can find.
But if I do that, I got to build my step son a mame cab from scratch because of a promise I made to him.

Could I make the cuts and save the pieces for a possible "re-assembling"?

So what do I do???

[Spyridon]

I was trying to keep from mutilating the cab so it could be restored to QBert if anyone ever wanted to.

But to mount a 2 player control panel with trackball, I see no other way to do it but to cut some of the cab.
Below is a picture of the approx. cuts I would have to make.

If you cut it, it will never be restored to Q*bert so you are kidding yourself if you think it will be salvagable

Im thinking maybe mameing it with a good vertical CRT monitor and only games that have the same controls as qbert, and qbert being the "boot up" game.

If you want to go with the same control setup as Q*Bert, you will be extremely limited.  Q*Bert used an offset joystick setup so that you only hit the diagonals.  If you don't set it up that way, Q*Bert is difficult to play.  If you do set it up that way, you are limiting yourself to Q*Bert variants.

[DaOld Man]

I have just about decided that I cannot use a 19" rotating LCD monitor in this cab. It's just not enough room.
If I mount the monitor with the glass at the original angle, it will work, but the viewing angle of the LCD is greatly affected. With monitor in vertical position, the top edge of the monitor is even with the top viewable edge of the glass.
I tried changing angle of the glass to almost straight up, and the monitor (when in vertical) is going to be very low, probably bottom edge below control panel. Plus in this position, the monitor is going to be very low to the player, so the player is going to have to stoop down, which just aint gonna cut it. I could raise the base of the cabinet to fix this, but I dont really want to do that.
So I have two options. Install a stationary CRT at the original angle and horizontal and mame it, or restore it to Q*Bert, which I feel is going to cost me an arm and a leg. (Anyone want to trade a donkey kong for this cab?)
*&%^ you Q*Bert!

[Rick]

Install a stationary CRT at the original angle and horizontal and mame it, or restore it to Q*Bert, which I feel is going to cost me an arm and a leg. (Anyone want to trade a donkey kong for this cab?)

Restore it to Q-Bert, if only to save yourself from the growing wrath within the Members here.  Personally, I'm ambivalent.

 

[Spyridon]

Really your call.  If it were mine, I'd restore to Q*bert.  However, at this point, there isn't much Q*bert left in that one so you won't get crucified for going the mame route.  And forget the LCD, no matter what route you go, get a dedicated arcade monitor.

[FrizzleFried]

Hard to get pissed at someone MAMEing a converted cabinet... even if it is a Q*bert.   I,  personally,  would restore it as a Q*bert.... but then again,  I already have 3 MAME cabs and have been wanting a `bert for about 3 years now.

The only one even semi-local the OP wants $800 for his on-route beater.

[DaOld Man]

I have wiring harness, power supply, coin door (rough shape), and the monitor, however Im pretty sure it needs at least a new tube, this one has capcom bowling burned into it bad.
I have the CP, but Im not sure if it is original Q*Bert, if it is, someone cut a hole in it for the trackball.
Was Q*Bert CP metal? this one is.
Looks like the cab has all the panels intact, but there was some water damage and there is bubbles under the paint, Ive already sanded a lot of those out.
Also the speaker looks real good.
So, If I restore (which I am seriously considering at this point), I will at least need:
Side art (found some on ebay, not sure if it is original or not).
Perhaps new CP (or metal work on this one).
CP art.
Marquee (found one on ebay, not sure if it is original).
Decent CRT
Q*Bert board set (may be very hard to find from what Im hearing.)
And I will need to sandblast the coin door and re-paint (I think it is salvageable, just very rusty).

FrizzleFried, while I was searching ebay I found this, which may interest you:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Q-Bert-Vintage-Arcade-Game-/270648014927?pt=US_Vintage_Video_Games&hash=item3f03e0f84f

[FrizzleFried]

Thanks for the heads up but I am much too cheap of a bastard to buy that.

[DaOld Man]

Me too, but Im worried that restoring this Q*Bert is going to wind up costing me more than that guy wants for his.

[DaOld Man]

Looks like the power supply I have wont work with original Qbert board set.
According to KLOV, the board suffered problems with the sound chip due to over voltage. The chip requires a maximum of 28 volts, but the power supply put out 30. The site suggests you change a zener diode on the board to limit the voltage to 27.
The power supply that was in the cab is a +5, -5, and +12 vdc.
I dont see how this could be an original power supply.
I could probably build one, but it wouldnt be an original.

[DaOld Man]

Been doing some research on this cab, and the power supply is definitely NOT from a Q*Bert. The wiring harness I have wont work either.
Here is a good link that Im basing my decisions on:
http://www.basementarcade.com/arcade/qbert/index.html

[Spyridon]

Me too, but Im worried that restoring this Q*Bert is going to wind up costing me more than that guy wants for his.

Restores always do!

[DaOld Man]

The plot thickens.
Well, I was peeling the overlay on the control panel and got a bit of surprise.
I was expecting to find Q*Bert graphics, but instead this started to show: (First pic)
I peeled off the rest and found that this was once a Curve Ball game (Pic 2)
Third pic is the capcom bowling, before I tore off the overlay.
I cant find any other graphic beneath this one, so I was thinking that either this was not an original Q*Bert, or it was a Q*Bert converted to a Curve ball and they installed a new CP.
The holes in this CP do not match up to where the holes should be in a Q*Bert CP.
I can tell where it was mutilated for a trackball for the capcom bowling, but no evidence of Q*Bert.
I looked up Curve Ball on KLOV, and they dont show a cabinet, but they do say that it is a conversion class of Gottlieb, which I think made Q*Bert? They also say that Curve ball is rare, but all that I have of that game is a mutilated Control Panel. Im sure it's not worth saving.
So, Im thinking of making this a Mame project.
I wont be using a rotating monitor, nor an LCD.
Im still debating whether or not to make the cuts in the panel to install a 2 player CP w/trackball, or making it a 1 player with trackball and leave the cabinet intact.
I greatly appreciate and respect the opinions of the people on this board, so what do you think i should do?
Thanks.

And now the pics.

[FrizzleFried]

Whoa.... Curveball is part of the multi-Q*Bert kit... that may actually be a dedicated cabinet!