Here's the story. Back in 2008 I purchased a Simpsons cabinet in really nice shape locally. The only downside with it was the previous owner covered both sides (entirely) with plexi and screwed a bunch of holes into the machine. He also installed black runners/kickplates along the bottom of both sides. I didn't want to fill all the holes and replace the side art because except for the holes, the original art was in really nice shape.
Here are some pics from way back in 2009 before I was forced to sell it...(you can see the holes in the side)
Day 1...
Now, when I say I was forced to sell it, what I mean is that my job cut my hours back to 32 hours a week and I ended up having to sell all but one of my machines just to pay bills, including my Simpsons cab. My life is now completely turned around from that set of circumstances and I'm back to 32 machines in the collection.
So a couple days ago, I was surfing CL for local deals and I came across a listing for a "Simpsons Arcade Machine." I clicked on the link and what I saw looked a LOT like the machine I used to have. It clearly had the repro marquee from GOG and the yellow t-molding was a giveaway too. I was 99.9% sure the machine I was looking at was the one I used to own. I sent a text and fortunately, it was still available. I told them I'd be right over and when I got there my suspicions were confirmed. It WAS in fact my original machine!
Only thing was...it was in worse shape than when I sold it. Lots of new scratches and dings. The monitor chassis that was in there when I sold it was a working K7000. It must have went out because someone installed a universal chassis. The seller advertised the monitor as not working and said the picture tube was bad. I had my suspicions but when I got the machine home, I removed the universal chassis and installed a working spare K7000. When I turned it on, I got purple lightning from the neck and the chassis fuse blew (along with the VR and the HOT). Damn.
So something happened during the time it was away from me that caused the tube to short out. Oh well. I have 3 spare monitors so I'll just put one of those in the cab and call it good and repair the K7000 that blew up later. I spent the better part of the night cleaning out the cab and touching up one side. I went to Lowe's and they were able to paint-match a sample I brought them. Again, I didn't feel like filling all the holes from the plexi the guy I bought the cab from back in 2008 installed on the sides and replacing the art, so I just painted some security screws and installed those in the holes. I don't think it's that bad. Better than empty holes. Here are some preliminary pics of what I've done with the cab so far....
Day 2...
Touch up and clean up of the sides of the cabinet are now done. I still need to remove the coin doors, disassemble, clean, reassemble and reinstall them. Also need to sand and repaint some areas on the front while the coin doors are out. Everything else is pretty much done, cabinet wise...except for the control panel. It needs some work. The CPO is in nice shape. Shouldn't need a new one but I desperately need a new lexan overlay. I'll just make a new one. I've got some sheets of lexan that I've been waiting to use and this is as good a time as any. I also ordered some new ball-top (Wico-like) sticks. Should be able to salvage the buttons...
I installed one of my spare tubes with a fully rebuilt, minty fresh, correctly adjusted K7000. It's amazing how great of an image good tube/K7000 can produce, even after roughly 23 years....
Day 3...
Cabinet clean up/restoration is mostly done. I decided to remove the screws that I had painted and installed in the holes on the sides because the paint I got to match the sides didn't really work so well on the screws. Because they are a different material (metal) compared to the side art (vinyl), the color didn't match as well as it did for the art. So I just touched up the holes with the matching paint and it turned out MUCH better that the painted screws.
Anyway, I'm just waiting on new joysticks and buttons. I need to cut and drill a new Lexan CPO protector as well and this project will be all done. I'll post some final pics at that time but here is how it looks for now. One more machine rescued!
Day 4...
The machine is now 100% restored/cleaned up. Made a new Lexan control panel overlay protector, installed some credit switches below the coin slots since there is no Free Play option, painted the caps on the switches to match the character colors, installed new ball top joysticks and buttons and gave it a good wipe down. Just wanted to share...
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Topic: "Ay Carumba!" 5 Years Later - My Simpsons Has Returned (Read 3335 times)
