Capcom Bowling (Q*Bert) *Update*

[DaOld Man]

So are you saying restore it to a curve ball?
Looks like a curve ball board may be harder to find than a Q*bert.
Plus you see how the CP was mutilated for the trackball.

[wp34]

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

I've been worried about the exact same thing for my restore.  The electronics for Q*Bert can be a bit spendy. 

[DaOld Man]

Ok I have decided to mame this baby, but leave the cabinet intact so that it can be restored to a Q*Bert or Curve Ball, if I or anyone else should decide to do so in the future.

I am going to use a horizontally mounted CRT computer display for the monitor, with same angle as the original, and plan to use the curve ball control panel, except set up for 1 player mame controls with a trackball.
I also plan to install a usb port to allow a controller to be plugged in for player 2. Still got to decide how Im going to place player two admin buttons (start, coin, etc).
The real estate space on the cp is extremely limited.

So, do I need to abandon this thread and start a new one in project announcements?

[Spyridon]

So, do I need to abandon this thread and start a new one in project announcements?

No, this thread can be moved.

[DaOld Man]

OK thanks. Can some one move this to project announcements?

[wp34]

Ok I have decided to mame this baby, but leave the cabinet intact so that it can be restored to a Q*Bert or Curve Ball, if I or anyone else should decide to do so in the future.

I am going to use a horizontally mounted CRT computer display for the monitor, with same angle as the original, and plan to use the curve ball control panel, except set up for 1 player mame controls with a trackball.
I also plan to install a usb port to allow a controller to be plugged in for player 2. Still got to decide how Im going to place player two admin buttons (start, coin, etc).
The real estate space on the cp is extremely limited.

So, do I need to abandon this thread and start a new one in project announcements?

Anxious to see how yours comes along.  You are making me want to pick my project up again. 

+1 on the small cp.  I was planning on trying to squeeze two players (no trackball) on mine but will most likely go with a one-player setup now.

[LeedsFan]

I think you've done the right thing really. The only thing "Q-Bert" left about that is the uncut cabinet. I don't see any problem Mameing it but if it were me I wouldn't cut it up to fit a larger CP on. I've never done a restore myself but getting hold of all the parts could be tricky (and costly).

You could Mame it in the style of Q-Bert. Use Q-bert art, marquee etc.etc and use a U-360 joystick. Then it can play Q-Bert on boot up using the correct offset 4-way controls and still play all the other games correctly too. You'd have to add some extra buttons for other games but looks like you need to build a new CP anyway. If you did this then anyone wanting to restore to original later wouldn't have as much to do. Q-Bert graphics are nice and colourful anyway. I'm sure someone did a Mame cabinet based on Q-Bert here somewhere.....

But at the end of the day it's your call... and your money. 

[DaOld Man]

Ok, the weather is getting nice and I got the itch.
Today I dusted off the cab and made a very hard decision.
I decided to go ahead and cut out a section to allow for a full sized two player control panel with trackball.

Ok, I cut out the sides and the front piece:


Here is a side view:



And front view:



Now, I think I can still replace the parts I cut out with some wood dowels and bondo.
Here is one of the pieces laying in place:



I would need to use dowels or straps to hold it in place, and then bondo to fill the gap.
But I think I have crossed the line. Probably no going back now.

[VanillaGorilla]

  ouch

[Nimbus]

Damn, those pics are brutal to look at... 

[DaOld Man]

I know. I almost feel like I have done something sinister.
Hopefully the ghost of Q*Bert (or Curve Ball) will forgive me.
In my defense, this cabinet has already been through some hatcheterring. At least one conversion.
Plus it had no labels or tags, so know way to track it, and the control panel was already mutilated.