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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: fredster on February 01, 2005, 04:26:53 am

Title: Be green with envy boys
Post by: fredster on February 01, 2005, 04:26:53 am
A couple of weeks ago a friend at work told me his little girl was at a skating party in a backwoods town in TN.  He was talking to the very old man that owned the rink about his video games. 1/2 of which didn't work.  He said he'd get rid of them if somebody wanted them.

He told me about it and I called him.  He said he was wanting to close the rink, he could keep up with the kids anymore. I asked him about the video games, and he said if a man came down and got them all, he could have them.  I was shaking when I told him I'd take a look.

The old man said that kids today have no respect.  They smash the games and try and rip the coin doors out and he was tired of watching them spend "money they should use to eat" in them. (I didn't tell him if they were that poor they wouldn't be skating). So he wanted to get rid of them.

I got my partner in crime and we got my ATV trailer and his big Ford 250 and we went there.  He said sure, take 'em all.  There were 11, covered in dust in a corner of his business.

In the group was a hang on, Turbo, Kung Fu Master, Commando, Street fighter II, POW, Double Dragon, a dead one with no board (I think it was sega baseball), Mario Brothers wide body, Nintendo Vs system, and a Heavy Barrel.

After cleaning 15 years of dust and and grime that only a barn like skating rink could make, 1/2 of them worked right off.  The POW was actually a moon patrol cab converted, the Double dragon was a stargate, and the street fighter was a dynamo.  I took cap kits and put in them in some and cleaned them up.  We took those 3 to the arcade auction last week in Nashville and sold them for $525 for all 3.

The Heavy barrel was missing the bezel, and the rotary joystick on the P1 side had a cracked PCB that was fixed in about 3 minutes with a soldering gun.  I kept it, it's a cool game.

The old man said the commando worked, but only on one side ?? Turned out the dip switches were set wrong.  I put a cap kit in it, the marquee was unlit, the bulbs were loose.  It came right up.  I soldered the neckboard where the KR was broken and put in a capkit and man, it's perfect.  My buddy loves that game, but his wife told him he can't have it in the house, so I'll host it here. (What is it with wives and video games?)

The other ones I haven't gotten into yet. They show signs of life and all but the turbo show monitor life. (and the dead one, which had a near perfect WG4600 in it along with a midway style coin door).

So I have been busy.  We also yeilded about $15 in quarters that were still in the locked coin boxes and in the bottom of the cabs, so that paid for gas.  ;D

Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: Bones on February 01, 2005, 05:26:44 am
That's a good win!  Is this green enough for you?
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: menace on February 01, 2005, 08:31:10 am
in the words of kyle broflofski..YOU BASTARD!  ;D shakes fist at fredster

nice one!
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: ChadTower on February 01, 2005, 09:37:37 am
Awesome.   ;D
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: RetroJames on February 01, 2005, 09:43:19 am
**left eye twitching** 

I ... am ... *grunt* 

ReALLy hhhhAPPyyy.... *twitch, twitch* for ... you,you, you, 

*inaudible*  

... great, scORE ... *low weeping sounds*

  ... nnyyzzniggit....gurgle...

Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: HaRuMaN on February 01, 2005, 09:45:23 am
Why can't I ever get this lucky...   :'(
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: ChadTower on February 01, 2005, 09:50:20 am
Hey man, Karma rewards those who deserve it.  He's a good guy.
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: HaRuMaN on February 01, 2005, 10:20:11 am
You saying that I'm not a good guy?  :police:
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: fredster on February 01, 2005, 11:23:38 am
Yep, I'm a great guy. :angel:

Plus I sacrafice chickens to the Gods of Arcade games on warm evenings with a Red Moon.

It never hurts to do that you know ;)
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: mr.Curmudgeon on February 01, 2005, 12:06:21 pm
Yep, I'm a great guy. :angel:

Now I know that "compassionate" conservative in you is going to share these with the rest of us...right?    ;)


mrC
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: Gunstar Hero on February 01, 2005, 01:28:31 pm
Nice score man!
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: Sephroth57 on February 01, 2005, 01:30:55 pm
you suck  :P
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: fredster on February 01, 2005, 01:54:22 pm
Mr C,

If you drive to TN with a pickup truck and a dolly, I'll let you pick any one of them you want that's left. 

Come to my door, introduce yourself, and I will help you load it.  I have one or two you might like. 

I have already given away the dead cab to be rebuilt as a mame machine and another to my neighbor.  The other ones went to my bud.  We decided to fix them up and split the pot.

Because that's what compassionate conservativism is all about.  I was happy to share the score.  :angel:
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: Apollo on February 01, 2005, 01:54:28 pm
I feel sick........well done.
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: missioncontrol on February 01, 2005, 01:59:23 pm
one heck of a score ;D now if only that would ever happen to me.....
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: Stingray on February 01, 2005, 02:08:34 pm
OUTfreakinSTANDING! What a great score, congrats!

-S
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: skim36 on February 01, 2005, 02:40:48 pm
You lucky bastard....lol...actually a big thank you to you and your buddy to have the compassion and insight to save these machines from the landfill and give them new life and new homes...I know the collection community thanks you...."I love you, man!"....lol
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: Mameotron on February 01, 2005, 06:52:35 pm
Mr C,

If you drive to TN with a pickup truck and a dolly, I'll let you pick any one of them you want that's left.
Title: Re: Be green with envy boys
Post by: Ken Layton on February 01, 2005, 07:33:04 pm
Wow---that is one of those rare 'one-in-a-million' instances. Now you should try your luck at the lottery.  ;)