Hail to Galaxian... by Namco!

[jcp]

I had to modify Bruno's answer :

Nice, but your group picture cannot be complete without the cocktail table and the cabaret version to show 'all the family' 

[level42]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaahhhhhhhh, I FINALLY found 15 mm wide GREEN T-molding.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Every-Good-Quality-T-mould-for-Arcade-Game-Machine-Arcade-Parts/472418018.html

It looks a bit bright on some of the pics, but darker on the other.....

The price and or length of the stuff I don't really care much about.....but that shipping price is a bit steep.....

Sent them a message to ask if they can send a sample and if they can ship through regular mail.

[level42]

CRAP, they "do not ship regular mail".....I'm going to nag them some more for a sample of 20 foot....going to pretend I'm in the market to order a 20' container full of this stuff.....I don't care, everything is allowed in war, love and Japanese arcade cab restoration !

[anunaki]

Yeah go get them dre

[level42]

Told them I need a 20 foot sample and that if "my customer" likes it I am going to need at least 1500 foot for a custom project for some local casinos.....

[anunaki]

Nice

[rinus711]

Very beautifull, love the Galaxian cab!

[johnsarcade]

I think everyone was waiting for these shots.....

WOW! WOW! WOW! I Loooooove those Namco cabinets. I want that! LOL! Someday I'll get a NAMCO Galaxian and Puck-Man.

[level42]

I'll trade it for your Mad Planets.....

[level42]

Since Etienne had to drop by anyway we decided to remove the CP/bezel from the beautiful machine....it was about as bad as I feared.

Of course the bezel is also the control panel on the Jap Namco machines. This is not a smart construction, although it looks totally awesome IMHO.
Removing it itself is not that terrible. You open the top door of the coin door and you can reach the regular clamps on the left and right side that keep the CP part down. Next you can lift up the entire bezel. Under the controls area there actually is a metal control panel. On the front there is a separate metal part with some wood under it.

The wiring to the CP had been completely hacked in/soldered directly to joystick etc.

I cut off the wires to the two hacked in LEDs (yughh). I was able to remove the buttons pretty easily but i cut off the joystick wiring as they were soldered directly to the joystick while they can be connected with regular AMP connectors....

My biggest worry was also true: How in heaven's name do you remove the joystick ?

I tried turning the ball....no dice ! Absolutely no way. From the construction on the joystick side it definitely didn't look like it was supposed to be loosened there either so we were completely puzzled and didn't know what to do....

We decided to sacrifice the ball top and used the dremel to cut it open...we then planned on using a screwdriver to break it open but before we knew it the metal rod snapped off near the bottom of the joystick !

Anyway, the bezel was now free so Etienne can scan it. He also took the metal part and will try to drill out (he has a standing drill) the rod and see if there is some thread in there that I hopefully can screw a new shaft and ball-top in......but that's of later concern.

The scanning will be a bit of a challenge because the bezel wasn't exactly flat and of course it has a big break. Luckily Etienne also did the Bertolini version of this bezel so he'll have a good basis to work from.

Etienne, thanks for the help !!!

[Etienne MacGyver]

Back on this,

I have looked again and again.

the leftovers clearly indicate that the shaft is inserted in the base, and the threads indicate that a nut was planned there to tighten it.

so i thought what if i squeez it in the vise, extend the lever a bit for more torque and give it a shot..

i inserted two bolts in the screwholes next to the center hole to give it some clearance in the middle, after that i screwed a nut on the thread that is on the leftover of the joystick shaft.

Then i used some brute force on the vice and out it came 







so its out without drilling.

I know you said you did not care since you wanted to change the joystick anyway, but maybe you want to reconsider because of originality reasons.

(at least make the stick complete and just leave it in the bottom of the cabinet or something)

If you have the old shaft part for me, a new shaft with the same diameter, same length (or longer) i think i have a source that can turn it and make the new shaft like the Original.

as you can see i have the bottom part here so the length i can copy from this part and the part that you have.

[Laszo]

Guys,

I can see you used brute force on this poor stick  Did you try to use penetrating oil Or heating or freezing the thing and then using a temperature shock? Even better both.

http://www.henkelna.com/loctite-freeze-release-7008.htm

[level42]

Awesome work Etienne. We didnt do any of that Laszo.....it happened before we knew it.....

Yes I'd like that if possible for originality reasons indeed. Good to have two options anyway. Thanks !!

[Laszo]

  The stick must have  seen a lot of action through the years... How many games on the counter?

[synonym9]

The top is rather oddly constructed compared to the US version. The top is flat and the marquee retainer is "hold up". You also see two bloks to which metal handles were installed, I noticed them on Pieter's pictures from the Japanese arcade museum. They remind me of the metal pieces that Japanese Taito cabs have. I assume these were used to lift the cabs with some crane of sorts ? If so the wooden construction will have to be pretty strong....
o easily adapt that with this original at hands .

Now that you say it (the Galaxian is still in my friends van, so I could´nt inspect it yet) I also remember those 2 blocks and I HAVE those two metal-constructions and I was shocked by seeing them and thought to myself "WERE THEY INTENDED TO LIFT THE CAB ON THOSE?"

I am also lucky because the fire button and even the joystick are the original (the one at the Japanese museum has a black stick, but the flyer shows a red one...)

I dont seem to have the original button but my stick is also red