[EDIT]
Made a "steps" list for the restoration here to keep track of progress
:
V- remove hacked in switcher PSU and Jamma cabling
V- restore power harness
V- restore main harness
V- restore interboard harness -> PCB connector replaced with new
V- restore/check/adapt Power Brick
V- clean cab
V- restore wood
V- paint cab
V- install side-art
V- installl front-art
V- install black vinyl
V- get monitor mounts
V- install monitor
V- check PCB set-up
V- check sound board
V- mount knocker
V- reinstall harnesses
V- mount PCBs
V- buy fluorescent tube
V- install fluorescent tube
V- install marquee and bezel
V- install battery back up instead of Super Cap
V- restore coin door
V- prime, paint and install marquee retainer
V- install repro serial tags etc.
[End of Edit]
Rewind. It's the early 80's. Near my school in Rotterdam there is this funny little "shop". I don't understand it's concept, but they sell soft drinks and they have 1 pinball machine, 1 foosball table and 1 arcade videogame.
I never understood how they earned enough money. But I was "green" then. My recent thoughts were that it must have been a Coffeeshop before they were officially condoned here...and looky looky, it still IS a Coffeeshop today (for those who don't know, in The Netherlands Coffeeshops is where you don't go if want a cup of coffee
)
Here's a Google Streetview screenshot:
Anyway, I never noticed any weird smells then, but we were simply 100% focussed on that single arcade game: Ms.Pac Man !!!
I played that game the most of all arcade games in my youth (and still suck at it
)
It was always there when we had an unexpected hour free because of an ill teacher or in the regular breaks.
Then, one day, we step in and.....our beloved Ms.Pac is GONE !!! VANISHED !!! HOLY CRAP !!! I immediatly go to the owner to ask if he had gone mad....but he says, hey it started to earn less....and there's a great new game there now. So I replied, there is no better game than Ms.Pac ....but what could we do. We had a look at the new machine and OK, it looked kinda neat. So reluctantly throw in a guilder and push the joystick. Eeeeeeeeewwww...mmmm, looks like you must not move up friends, but that sure sounded funny ! (My memory tells me there was no "tock" from a knocker. I am also not sure if it was an original cab). The next steps are already a bit better and I manage to keep on this weird pyramid a bit longer...
Anyway, you figured it out, it was Q*bert and my love for the game was born right there.
Later I played it first by renting the 2600 cart (looked pretty wacky, but the gameplay wasn't bad) and then of course on my Atari 600XL.
So, fast forward into the 2000's.....I start collecting these big ass wooden boxes with classic games. Naturally, Q*bert immediately comes to my mind to own, but reality sets in very quickly. Impossible to find in Europe.
At one point I find a very nice one on e-bay in the US, just by accident. The price was very low, and I briefly considered having it transported to here. However, apart from the money, it seemed almost impossible to me at that time. So I tipped it off on KLOV and a forum member there bought it and restored it and he owes me big time until this day
Then FFW again to november 2010. I am at a arcade gathering somewhere in Germany. While chatting around outside I notice a van and in a blink of the eye something seems to pop in my mind.......Q*BERT !!! There's a Q*BERT in there ! So I walk up to the van and peer through the window. To my utter surprise it turns out to be not one, but TWO Q*bert next to each other !!! What the @!#?@!
Naturally I anxiously (yet trying to look cool) start to ask around who's machines these are ? I quickly find out and I happen to know these guys
(Already bought my Joust from them...)
Sooooo....we get into a chat and it turns out they want to make one good working Q*bert out of these two machines....so I immediately smell my chance and ask what you're going to do with the "leftover" ?? Not sure yet is the reply, so I "ask" if I can buy the left overs, I don't care what state it is in !
The next months I drop a mail every once in a while to ask about progress and if they're still letting my buy whatever is left...trying to act not to annoying yet still keeping them "awake" about my interest
And the rest of the story you guys know: Last weekend, the Q*bert was presented me by those too great guys at Eurocade !!
List of required parts:
[EDIT]
- vertical monitor frame
- monitor shroud (plastic bezel)
- Control Panel [GOT IT] (thanks to Bruno !)
- joystick and harness + button holders [GOT IT] (Thanks to Peter on KLOV)
- buttons [GOT IT]
- CPO set [INSTALLED !]
- side art [GOT IT]
- Bezel [GOT IT]
- Marquee [GOT IT] [The "Swearing" version from Phoenixarcade)
- monitor [GOT IT] (Brand new WG waiting in box !]
- harness [GOT IT, fixed hacks and tested 100% !]
- PCB [GOT IT, fixed by Robin !]
- sound PCB [GOT IT, works 100% !]
- knocker [GOT IT]
- PSU board [GOT IT]
- (optional) Gottlieb insert for coin door (but not going to pay 40 bucks for it)
- yellow paint [DONE !]
- PSU [GOT IT, to be fixed]
- new TL tube (missing) [GOT IT]
- new starter (missing) [GOT IT]
- new black leathered T-molding [GOT IT]
