First Time Building MAME Cabinet

[ManicMiles]

For years I have wanted my own arcade machine. Thankfully my habitual habit of browsing Craigslist paid off. $150 and a 3 hour round trip later, I finally got my hands on an old (project) cabinet.
1998 Gauntlet Legends 4p upright.
 I say project because its missing multiple things: Monitor , Buttons , 2 out of 4 joysticks, metal plate that wraps around the front. I will post pictures of everything hear soon.
 I have experience with computers and modding game consoles. Arcade / MAME machines on the other hand I'm still very much in the dark about.
 
 I hate the idea of stripping this cabinet of its history. But I am leaning more towards converting it to MAME. I myself enjoy Gauntlet very much, but others around me don't share my opinion.

 I know I would need to swap the, full and working, PCB assembly with a computer. I know it doesn't have to be top of the line. But that's not much for me to go off.
What range of hardware would I need?
Is there any specs that are essential?
Can I use the 2 49way joysticks for other games?
Are there advantages to using a 4:3 ratio monitor over 16:9?

Any input would be appreciated.
-Miles

 

[ManicMiles]

Speakers and marquee light works
Bother marquee banner and banner inside the game control housing are in amazing condition

[yotsuya]

Speakers and marquee light works
Bother marquee banner and banner inside the game control housing are in amazing condition

You should sell the game board to PBJ. 

[Louis Tully]

.

[ManicMiles]

What is PBJ? And I'm having difficulty pricing it.
What is a bst tagline?
Sorry for the lack of terminology

[johnrt]

What is PBJ?

jennifer's husband. 

[bfauska]

What is PBJ? And I'm having difficulty pricing it.
What is a bst tagline?
Sorry for the lack of terminology

PBJ is a member here with a bit of a thing for Gauntlet Legends.
BST (Buy Sell Trade) is a section of the forum where PBJ's affinity for Gauntlet Legends has come up from time to time.

Don't mind these fools, once you get to know the terminology you'll get the same chuckles out of these comments as the rest of us.

Welcome to the forum, it should be just the place for you to learn the parts of this project that are new to you.
With the art in the condition it is you may be better off replacing the missing parts and selling the machine as a working unit, then using the skills gained in that pursuit to build a machine from scratch or modify a less iconic cabinet. Or, screw it, it's yours to do with as you please, sell the board and art and use that money to help the rest of the project.

[Generic Eric]

My first TV was smaller than that marquee!  Maybe even the second was.

[ManicMiles]

With the art in the condition it is you may be better off replacing the missing parts and selling the machine as a working unit, then using the skills gained in that pursuit to build a machine from scratch

I would enjoy that. When I got it home I pulled everything out to clean it. I found around 10 Namco arcade tokens, later on I polished them to a shinny new glory. After further research the only Namco arcade I could find was located in Chicago; I live in texas. It's so intense to think that this cabinet managed to travel this far. That's why I mentioned previously that I didn't want to convert

[AzureKnight]

If so much of it is in working condition I'd say the same thing, restore it.  Play with it until you are bored and then sell it.  You will learn a lot in the process and then you can take that knowledge to build exactly what you want, while keeping a great original game in circulation.

But like others have said, if you would rather convert it then go for it.  But there I would say make sure you take the time to plan out what you want.  That generally starts with "what games do you want to play"?