Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle

General Chat => Dragon's Lair / Space Ace => Topic started by: Digimon on April 13, 2025, 07:44:55 PM

Title: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 13, 2025, 07:44:55 PM
I have played a lot of games in the 80s. One of my favorites was of course a dedicated Space Ace.

A few weeks ago I got the chance to get a cheap and long forgotten Cabinet.

I just hat his picture, but of course I needed to take it.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 13, 2025, 07:47:31 PM
It looks not as bad as expected.

Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 13, 2025, 07:50:24 PM
Harness is original but a little stuff added.

Powerbrick and ARII are ok, but of course no player inside.

It was converted to Bubble Bobble.


My first steps will be disassembling and make my thougts...

Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on April 13, 2025, 09:04:18 PM
Wow, what an amazing find that is!  :shock: :spaceace: :spaceace: :spaceace:

There will certainly be a lot of work, but finding an Atari Space Ace in the wild these days in Europe... is almost mission impossible! :shock:

I'm officially jealous! You're lucky to have the genuine European marquee with the legit Atari logo. I hope it's just dirty and not damaged? But even if it's damaged, this marquee must be preserved at all costs!

Speaking of the Atari logo, I see that you don't have the large square Atari sticker located between the two speakers. It's the same on mine. This is likely evidence that this cabinet was dedicated to Space Ace straight from the factory, and that only the Dragon's Lair machines originally featured this logo?

Do you also have the back door? If so, I would be interested in seeing the serial number to compare it with mine.

In any case, thank you for sharing this discovery. I can't wait to see more!  :spaceace: :spaceace: :spaceace:
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: joeks on April 13, 2025, 10:08:27 PM
Great find! I have the side art and Atari sticker for between the speakers in case you want those .
Enjoy the restoration!
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 14, 2025, 01:04:00 PM
Hi,

The serial is "UR0132658"

Just started with Monitor showering and removing all parts of the cabinet.



@joeks I am sure I need something in the next steps.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on April 14, 2025, 10:37:11 PM
For the record, here's the serial on my cabinet ->

(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/tmp/eurospaceacenuno.jpg)

MODEL : EDL (Euro Dragon's Lair]
SERIAL : 132735

With such a small difference of 77, our two cabinets must certainly have been very close to each other in an Atari warehouse, back in 1984!  ;D
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Andreas_AUT on April 15, 2025, 07:30:31 PM
Boah Digimon du Gl?ckspilz :D

jealous#2

Congratulations to you with that find, space ace or one of the 2 dragons lair is SO HARD to find here ( esp. for an good price ). I said to myself IF ill find one of the mentioned cabs, ill be happy. And I would put that box into the cab to have the choice to play any of the laser disc games, i dont need every single cab.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 15, 2025, 08:12:15 PM
MODEL : EDL (Euro Dragon's Lair]
SERIAL : 132735

With such a small difference of 77, our two cabinets must certainly have been very close to each other in an Atari warehouse, back in 1984!  ;D

Yepp, that should be the same day.

Is there a complete list available of Atari Ireland?
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 15, 2025, 08:13:10 PM
... ( esp. for an good price ).

It was 50 Euro only. But just one picture to judge.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Andreas_AUT on April 15, 2025, 10:08:21 PM
WOW...  ;D congrats!!
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on April 15, 2025, 10:26:09 PM
Could you tell us a bit more about the origin of this cab? Did it belong to an old arcade operator, was it lost in the depths of a forgotten barn?
How did you stumble upon such a gem? :P I'm curious to know the history of this cabinet  8)
 :spaceace:
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 18, 2025, 12:01:18 PM
There is no big story,

it was part of a bulk buy of 16 cabs. Nearly all were german uni cabs.

The owner got them more then ten years ago and hoarded them in a warehouse with a lot of other stuff.

A friend of mine took the whole bunch, I only took the Space Ace.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 18, 2025, 05:47:05 PM
I am not sure if I should use the LED Score board in this Cabinet, or just add the Atari sticker.

Is a version of Dragon?Lair available that don?t need the LED Score Board, like Space Ace.?
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on April 18, 2025, 07:06:00 PM
I am not sure if I should use the LED Score board in this Cabinet, or just add the Atari sticker.

Neither of these two solutions! Your cabinet is proof that the Space Ace release (from factor) that came in a DL European cabinet did not have the square Atari logo, and since this is a European cabinet, it is prohibited to attach a score LED like the US versions. :ghost:
My Space Ace doesn't have the Atari square logo either.

Is a version of Dragon?Lair available that don?t need the LED Score Board, like Space Ace.?

Hell yes, go with the roms for Europe/Atari. Scores will be displayed on the screen between the stages!  :spaceace:
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 18, 2025, 09:04:33 PM
It is prohibited to attach a score LED like the US versions. :ghost:
My Space Ace doesn't have the Atari square logo either.

Hell yes, go with the roms for Europe/Atari. Scores will be displayed on the screen between the stages!  :spaceace:

oki, that?s how it will be done.

Adding the logo and use Europe versions.

thanks for clarification.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on April 18, 2025, 09:36:06 PM
Can you measure the size of the square left by the sticker? I would like to compare it with the one on my Dragon's Lair.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on April 21, 2025, 03:27:21 PM
Done the measurements:

The stricker was 80 width and 100 high.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on April 22, 2025, 04:23:06 PM
Done the measurements:
The stricker was 80 width and 100 high.

Thank you for having taken the measurements of the 'ghost' of your sticker.  :)
I still wonder which sticker it was?  Because on my German Dragon's Lair arcade machine, as well as on the French one, the square 'Atari' sticker measures 17 cm on each side.
I had already created a dedicated topic about this sticker. (see here (https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=167.0))
So, the remnants of your rectangular sticker have me a bit curious... ::)
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Belike on April 25, 2025, 09:27:47 AM
Great catch, congrats!
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on May 01, 2025, 08:01:06 PM
Today I start restauration:

First of all: cleaning the harness in a bubble bath - it looks good now


And having a look at the control panel.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on May 01, 2025, 08:24:45 PM
good start!  :spaceace:
For the control panel, there will be a bit of filling with metal putty, removing dust and repaint but it?ll do the trick.
The CPO isn't specific to the European version, so a repro will work just fine. However, you'll need a Wico joystick with a red ball, which is fairly easy to find. Same for buttons.
Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: Digimon on May 01, 2025, 08:35:07 PM
Yepp,

the CPO is available in europe.

https://arcadeartrepro.com/product/space-ace-cpo/

And I have enough sticks around. So it will work out.

I will do the CP work if everything is running at the last step.

Title: Re: Now I got an Atari Space Ace (Project)
Post by: DarthNuno on May 01, 2025, 09:34:54 PM
https://arcadeartrepro.com/product/space-ace-cpo/

Wow, the EURO Space Ace marquee is also available, I didn't know...  :shock: :-* ... cool! I need one too (mine didn't have the ATARI logo)

Barry, add this to the bill  ;D  :spaceace: