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Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: koolmoecraig on October 21, 2005, 12:55:36 am

Title: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: koolmoecraig on October 21, 2005, 12:55:36 am
As some of you know, I already have a Q*bert that I have converted into a Mame machine.

Seen here: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=26333.0

It's great because I can run all of my vertical games in their native resolutions. The only problem is that all of the horizontal games are squished.

I have finally aquired my solution. An original Rally-X upright machine.

I am going to do another "tasteful" Mameing, keeping the original look of the cabinet. I am going to do a two player control panel with 4 buttons for each player. If I have the room I am going to drop a 2 1/4" trackball in the center.

Anyone have any thoughts or opinions?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: Bones on October 21, 2005, 12:57:05 am
Cool*************
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: TOK on October 21, 2005, 08:25:42 am
You should call it Aster-X.  ::)
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: whammoed on October 21, 2005, 10:14:48 am
Whats the story on the Rally X?  Working, non working, gutted, converted?
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: koolmoecraig on October 21, 2005, 01:59:30 pm
I bought it off of a doctor in Phoenix who bought it brand new back in '81. It only has 13,000 plays on it.

The sides are pretty scuffed up from moving so I am stripping the sides and repainting them. The front of the cabinet is in near mint condition as is the control panel(which I wont be using). The bezel and control panel are near mint as well.

I'm having someone bend me an exact copy of the control panel but with no holes so I can drill them out according to my layout.

Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: HoopstarsGarage on October 22, 2005, 06:37:23 am

(http://www.adam.com.au/hr350/worthless.gif)
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: koolmoecraig on November 16, 2005, 07:57:21 pm
Slowly coming along.

I should have the cabinet fully primed and painted by the end of the weekend.

Now it's time to start building the computer.
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: subcriminal on November 18, 2005, 12:41:33 pm
I like tasteful MAMEing! I take it you're not going to black it, fit blue t-molding and bolt a frankenpanel to it then? ;)
Looking at your Qbert cab this one will be cool too.
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: koolmoecraig on November 18, 2005, 10:00:55 pm
Here is my final control panel design.

Opinions?
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: koolmoecraig on November 24, 2005, 12:46:06 am
All painted up.


Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: Bones on November 24, 2005, 02:27:29 am
Looking pretty bloody good dude******!
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: Franco on November 24, 2005, 08:06:59 am
Yeah, coming on really well! V.tastfully done.

Looking pretty bloody good dude******!

 :laugh:******
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: koolmoecraig on December 26, 2005, 03:19:03 pm
I received my artwork from Scott at mamemarquees.com. Top-notch as always.

I've started drilling out my control panel.

Also, I added a base made of 2x4's to lift the machine a little bit and make it a tad more ergonomically correct.

I figure I should be finished around the first week of the new year.

As a builder of some of the finest MAME machines on this message board I would like to thank you all for your interest. With a little dedication and hard work you too can acheive my high level of success.
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: koolmoecraig on December 27, 2005, 12:38:08 am
I got the panel all drilled and threw everything together.

What do you guy think? Should I use the buttons with the white outer color(control 1) or the solid color buttons(control 2)?

The original Rally-X machine used white outer rim buttons.

Opinions?
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE **************
Post by: danny_galaga on December 27, 2005, 02:12:49 am
Looking pretty bloody good dude******!

and notice how the whole documentation occurs within the span of one page  ;)
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE ****UPDATED*******
Post by: spriggy on December 27, 2005, 07:15:59 am
Definately white rim....especially as your following the cabinets original theme.

#EDIT#

In fact..  I should have mentioned.. that panel looks rather neat (with the white rims).  Nice.
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE ****UPDATED*******
Post by: markrvp on December 27, 2005, 09:28:03 am
Definitely go with the white rims and I would also put the dustwashers under the panel instead of on top.
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE ****UPDATED*******
Post by: koolmoecraig on January 08, 2006, 02:42:14 pm
This worked out nicely.

The first picture is the original Rally-X power board. The second is my motherboard fitting perfectly in its place.

I love it when it turns out cleanly. I try to "MAME" without any physical changes to the original cabinet at all.

I am going with the white rims on the buttons. I'm going to leave the joystick dust washers on top since they hide my not so clean(or perfectly round) joystick shaft holes. As a side note, never drill joystick shaft holes after more than one glass of Knob Creek bourbon.
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE ****UPDATED*******
Post by: koolmoecraig on January 18, 2006, 05:49:38 pm
I just received the coolest mouse in the world. Perfect for the Rally-X theme.

The best part is when its connected the scroll wheel lights up blue and the headlights and taillights flash alternately. It looks awesome.

The bad part is that it stays lit and keeps flashing when the PC power is off! Damn USB. Anyone know away around that?
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE ****UPDATED*******
Post by: c64rulez on January 20, 2006, 11:08:02 am
I want that mouse

Either you open it up and find out, or it's a 5lb hammer solution

cute little thing
Title: Re: Rally-X MAME MACHINE ****UPDATED*******
Post by: HoopstarsGarage on January 21, 2006, 09:05:10 am
WOW..!!

Very nicely done bud..!!  Sometimes it is not easy or cost effective to restore a game to it's original condition.. I think this is a where MAME comes in nicely.

I LOVE the CP and the white rimmed buttons.. it all screams 1980's classic which is how it should.


10/10.



Hoops
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: koolmoecraig on February 13, 2006, 08:14:01 pm
Thank you for the compliment.

Here is the cabinet completely finished next to my Q*bert Mame machine. Now I can play all of the games in their correct orientation!

I am running the GameEx front end on the Rally-X and Ultrastyle on the Q*bert.

Notice the speakers on top of the Rally-X machine. These of for when I run it as a juke box. The original 6x9 speaker is used for playing games.

Speaking of which, have any of noticed what a HUGE difference having the speaker pointing down at the monitor makes when playing a game?? You might not think so, but it really does. It makes it feel like the sounds are coming out of the screen which makes the game alot more engaging. Don't beleive me? Try it.

My biggest regret in building the Rally-X is not being able to save the original side art. I tried, but it was just way too thin. I don't think there is much of a chance of ever finding some NOS side art for this machine. Nobody makes reproductions either.(Don't send me a link to classicarcadegrafix.com their quality is garbage).

Thanks!
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: arcadefever on February 13, 2006, 10:26:17 pm
wowwwwww i love that rally x  8)
also the neon are really cool  ;D
well done
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: koolmoecraig on February 13, 2006, 10:31:33 pm
Thanks man.

One thing about the neon(cold cathodes) on the Rally-X. Rally-X machines sit on leg levelers which doesn't provide enough room to mount the cathodes so I built a base out of 2x4's to give it a little lift.

Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: spriggy on February 14, 2006, 12:24:15 am
Nice Job.   Non-destructive classic maming is always nice to see done well!
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: koolmoecraig on February 14, 2006, 08:01:08 pm
Thanks again.

Here is a close up of the Rally-X overlay. Once again Scott @ mamemarquees.com delivered top-notch quality.
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: Bomber on March 05, 2006, 06:45:42 pm
Thank you for the compliment.

Here is the cabinet completely finished next to my Q*bert Mame machine. Now I can play all of the games in their correct orientation!

I am running the GameEx front end on the Rally-X and Ultrastyle on the Q*bert.

Notice the speakers on top of the Rally-X machine. These of for when I run it as a juke box. The original 6x9 speaker is used for playing games.

Speaking of which, have any of noticed what a HUGE difference having the speaker pointing down at the monitor makes when playing a game?? You might not think so, but it really does. It makes it feel like the sounds are coming out of the screen which makes the game alot more engaging. Don't beleive me? Try it.

My biggest regret in building the Rally-X is not being able to save the original side art. I tried, but it was just way too thin. I don't think there is much of a chance of ever finding some NOS side art for this machine. Nobody makes reproductions either.(Don't send me a link to classicarcadegrafix.com their quality is garbage).

Thanks!

Both machines look sweet...

A question about the cold cathodes - how many are under each cab? I want to do the same thing with my jukebox and need to know how many (and what size) I need to get a similar level of brightness and area coverage.
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: koolmoecraig on March 06, 2006, 12:28:58 am
They are each 12". I have one mounted on each side. They are also sound activated(which you can switch off). That would be SWEET on a Juke box.
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: Bomber on March 06, 2006, 03:03:52 pm
Awesome - thanks man. I will be installing sound-activated ones for sure.
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: MameMaster! on March 14, 2006, 04:18:53 pm
wow...I think those retro theme mame cabs are fantastic.

Great job once again.
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: PetitMorte on March 15, 2006, 12:36:24 am
That's a *beautiful* job you did with that maming!  Bravo!

I always did love Rally-X
Title: Re: Rally-X Mame Machine ***** COMPLETED PICS ADDED *****************
Post by: Stobe on March 15, 2006, 03:01:56 pm

My biggest regret in building the Rally-X is not being able to save the original side art. I tried, but it was just way too thin. I don't think there is much of a chance of ever finding some NOS side art for this machine. Nobody makes reproductions either.(Don't send me a link to classicarcadegrafix.com their quality is garbage).


One more cab on the left side of the Rally-X will solve that problem!  :)

Looks great!

-Stobe