New star wars theme build

[menace]

*cue opening crawl*

So oddly enough I traded an old ladder for a completely gutted and partially stripped star wars upright cabinet.  It had one decent side and front and the bottom was completely water damaged.  The guy felt bad that it had no coin door so he threw in a pedestal project as well (for another day).  Anyways, having an upright star wars was on the grail list so I went for it.

The light side 



the dark side



I removed the front and bottom pieces



and rebuilt the bottom.



The dark side had to be sanded clean for new artwork so I bought a belt sander and stuck it to Darth.



Since I was never able to source a control panel, or yoke I decided to forego that and make a swappable panel system with the third panel being a homebrew yoke (I started another thread about that in the main section.

Anyways, here's the progress on that:  (the handles are being 3d printed as we speak so they will be added on later..)









So the plan is to have 3 panels:  Panel 1 to be the standard 2 player 6 button layout seen here:



Then a steering wheel panel with separate pedals:



And of course the yoke on a modified original star wars panel (work in progress)





Then I had a brain storm (or fart depending on your perspective)  With all that wasted space inside the cabinet why not use it to store panels when not in use!  4 cabinet hinges later..



When the door is closed it looks like it used to but now I can install roll out slides (courtesy of ikea scratch and dent section) that will roll out the pedals or replacement panels.

More to come!

[Vidiot]

It's your project but I really wish you would have scratch built a Star Wars style cab and restored this one instead. Not trying to hate on your build at all. Just what I would have done if I was blessed with an Atari Star Wars cab.

[Le Chuck]

It's your project but I really wish you would have scratch built a Star Wars style cab and restored this one instead. Not trying to hate on your build at all. Just what I would have done if I was blessed with an Atari Star Wars cab.

You mean source the original hardware, vector monitor, and everything else when he's effectively starting with one side panel and the front in "passable" condition and the rest needing major work - and that's just the wood.  Top that with the OP saying he can't even source an original CP let alone yoke...

Yep, great choice for a resto - *eyes roll into the back of my head*

OP - you're doing good.  You got a nice couple of panels there and are well on the way to a fun build.  While that may have been an original SW long ago in a galaxy far away - it stopped being one along the way.  A couple of side panels does not a SW make, so make it your own!

[menace]

LOL when you only have one side and a front of the original remaining--do you really expect me to believe you would have restored this?  Ask yourself what this restore would cost in both time and money even assuming you could even find an original boardset (that worked), power supply, x-y monitor (that worked), yoke and control panel, plastic bezel shroud, speakers and coin door.  And since the bottom was water damaged it needed to be rebuilt and a new back door cut.

So while I agree restoring is nice when possible, this would have sat in my garage collecting dust for eons while I tried to get all these various (and notoriously hard to find parts--even by arcade collecting standards) bits together.  I'm sorry but I just don't see how saying it could be restored is any way realistic 

edit: thanks Chuck--I see you posted seconds before I did...

[menace]

The art work selections so far...I'm debating what to do on the bezel--I don't want anything too busy but I would like to splash it up a bit. 

[Vidiot]

It's your project but I really wish you would have scratch built a Star Wars style cab and restored this one instead. Not trying to hate on your build at all. Just what I would have done if I was blessed with an Atari Star Wars cab.

You mean source the original hardware, vector monitor, and everything else when he's effectively starting with one side panel and the front in "passable" condition and the rest needing major work - and that's just the wood.  Top that with the OP saying he can't even source an original CP let alone yoke...

Yep, great choice for a resto - *eyes roll into the back of my head*

OP - you're doing good.  You got a nice couple of panels there and are well on the way to a fun build.  While that may have been an original SW long ago in a galaxy far away - it stopped being one along the way.  A couple of side panels does not a SW make, so make it your own!

Yes! Let the hate flow through you. Haha. Seriously though LeChuck, if I ever said anything to offend you I'm sorry. I get the feeling you don't like me much. I try to be cool to everyone. I didn't mean to come across as bashing op's project.

Menace, I hope you didn't take my comments as a disrespect to your project. I was simply stating what I would have done with the cab if I owned it. I think you have a cool project here and I love idea of building your own yoke from scratch! I might try that some day as well. Your ideas seem really cool and I'll be watching this with interest.

[Le Chuck]

Didn't even notice who wrote the comment before replying to it. Guess you're just lucky that way?

I got not personal beefs. Except with X2 and a few folks that got blessedly smacked with the ban-hammer.

[menace]

2 Ikea shelves later and I've got built in storage for all the extra bits I plan on using...



and with the front closed it looks like it used to:



Next step is to move it to the basement  its 33" deep and i've got about 35-36" at a landing to turn on--I can see some doors coming off 

[menace]

Long overdue update:

Got the machine moved into the basement--it wasn't heavy but its deep making stairs navigation a real pain--If I ever sell the house It might have to stay lol

And finally got the sideart installed--I saw it getting moved around the spare bedroom and new it was just a matter of time before it got damaged if it wasn't stuck to the cabinet...



I like how it turned out--it compliments the other side and updates the look a bit.  To do it again, I think I would photoshop the helmet size to match Darth on the other side...