Author Topic: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)  (Read 12871 times)

level42

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Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« on: September 14, 2015, 07:58:12 PM »
To do list:
- replace both fans
- restore feet
- check/replace monitor caps
- check CRT with rejuvenator
- buy wooden shifter knob
- repro shifter knob graphics plate
- fix game board issues (car jittery, shadows on some texts)
- fix not working hi score table
- repaint steering wheel
- repaint gas pedal and box
- restore dial graphics plate
- repaint monitor hood
- replace (remove ?) plexi over CRT
- fix sound issue: "fanfare" music can be heard pemenantly even in attract mode
- probably much more as I go along....

So......I visited Vernimark's very nice arcade/BBQ party near Milano Italy last summer.

The temps were crazy but it was a lot of fun. The bad thing about those kind of parties is that you get to see and play games you fall completely in love with....(See Arch's Mario Bros. WTB thread).

So.....half seriously, and expecting absolutely nothing, I posted a WTB on this great forum and ......who would have guessed I would actually find one that way....let alone from one of the nicest guys in this hobby !!!

He even delivered the machine to Eurocade and it was already very much working, surprisingly.
(By the way, I offered to cancel the deal when I learned that the machine was so close to working, I could imagine Capt.Kirk was pretty surprised it was in that good condition, but he said no problem.... :spaceace:)

Now, I expected this machine to stand in the "middle room" of the building because it wasn't playable because of the missing player's car....

However, something what I would like to call "Eurocade Magic" happened.
First, Jochen had brought some board sets and started swapping out some boards and hey, we have the player's car back. OK it was a bit jittery and rather low on the screen but it was fur sure nice and playable now !

Next....the credit button needed to be added because this game has no free play option of course.
So Etienne and Robin fiddled around and tried to get it working but it turned out it needed a switchover contact.

So....the "little sewing machine" was just standing there in attract mode during the day, pretty but kind of lonely.

At one point Etienne apparently had one of his typical McGyver moments....he tried something probably few of us would have thought about and that was keeping the credit button pushed and then the game would play !

So....again there was some fiddling and bam, the game could now be credited by pressing the coin-reject button and Etienne seemed pretty much hooked right away :):)

At the end of Eurocade some more magic.....Jochen offered to let this board stay in the machine until I got it fixed a bit more...or until he had a good set up to work on those boards......

I just love this community sense....you guys all are the best !

Anyway, some pics stolen from Etienne:


« Last Edit: September 17, 2015, 03:44:29 PM by Level42 »

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Re: Sera Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2015, 08:10:48 PM »
I never knew these machines existed until I saw some pics.....probably those from Vernimark's....

I was flabbergasted about the concept of putting a racing game in a cocktail table.....by the little steering wheel, that it actually had a gas pedal and by the tilted monitor....all so weird but also so clever !!!

Ever since I saw this flyer picture it somehow reminded me of a strange old sewing machine.......;)



« Last Edit: September 14, 2015, 08:20:44 PM by Level42 »

Etienne MacGyver

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Re: Sera Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2015, 09:33:37 PM »
Loved it all the way !

The fact that this is running without a processor amazes me the most.

also when driving through the tunnel for the first time, and only the car with the headlights where presented to me, i remembered that i played this game when i was a kid!

i totally forgot about this game, it was not a cocktail that i played though.

Also the strange monitor setup and the fact that its a racer in a cocktail intrigued me very much !

I already cought it when i was looking in the storage container at the last visit at Luigi and Capt Kirk.

i cought it as i just made the steeringwheel decal for someone, and thought it looked familiar  :D

I am happy this cocktail is about 25 minutes away from me  ;) :D

Q*ris

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Re: Sera Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2015, 10:59:01 PM »
So it was for you???
I didn't know about that, congrats!
I love all the (real) digits and the (fake) displays, nice looking and quite original machine!
« Last Edit: September 14, 2015, 11:07:45 PM by Q*ris X2 »

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Re: Sera Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2015, 11:13:26 PM »
I had typed a lot more in a next Message but it got deleted by mistake...

Indeed the lack of a processor and yet it offers so much game play variation is amazing.

It also has yet another quite unique feature: a headphones plug !!!

Also....the hardware should support a real working RPM meter....but it's not used on the cocktail.

nilfisk

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Re: Sera Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2015, 11:16:13 AM »
Also....the hardware should support a real working RPM meter....but it's not used on the cocktail.

It does. I have it on my "Pro" Upright, and it's working perfectly.

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Re: Sera Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2015, 11:39:18 AM »
Yeah....very tempting to add one.....70's style....so a seperate meter on top of the "dashboard" ;)

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2015, 07:26:32 PM »
Vernimark has some great pics and info about this cool cocktail:

http://www.vernimark.com/?cat=10

Marco, how did you restore the table's "feet" so nicely ?

Etienne MacGyver

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2015, 09:06:20 PM »
Vernimark has some great pics and info about this cool cocktail:

http://www.vernimark.com/?cat=10

Marco, how did you restore the table's "feet" so nicely ?

Lots of sandpaper and a can of hammerite  ;)

synonym9

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2015, 09:32:43 AM »


Tell me, can a machine be more cool than that?
One of the coolest machines ever designed, great restoration on a great machine, AndreĀ“
I have a dream....that one day....all members of forum are the same....no matter how long ago they have joined, how many games they own or how many posts they wrote ;)

level42

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2015, 11:19:27 AM »
Thanks Syno, yes I am extremely lucky to have scored this one :)

Resto will be relatively simple but still plenty to do.

Other machine has priority though: I decided to finally do one of the cabs I have the longest....Mario Bros. is going to be Donkey Kong !

synonym9

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2015, 11:22:44 AM »
Thanks Syno
Other machine has priority though: I decided to finally do one of the cabs I have the longest....Mario Bros. is going to be Donkey Kong !

Yes, Mario has to be in the cool widebody, which is far up on my list.

What is with the japanese Galaxian-restoration, is it finished or in progress?
I have a dream....that one day....all members of forum are the same....no matter how long ago they have joined, how many games they own or how many posts they wrote ;)

vernimark

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2015, 11:35:20 AM »
Vernimark has some great pics and info about this cool cocktail:

http://www.vernimark.com/?cat=10

Marco, how did you restore the table's "feet" so nicely ?

Lots of sandpaper and a can of hammerite  ;)

 :lol: :lol:
after a ton of sandpaper I used a special paint. the effect is great.

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2015, 11:37:22 AM »
I was as close as ever possible on a cockpit machine as Nilfisk know...but the seller sucked.
First the machine would have been for free in trade with labor, after I did my job he wanted 300 for it.
Then he offered it to Nilfisk for 100 and at end he sold it to someone else.
I have a dream....that one day....all members of forum are the same....no matter how long ago they have joined, how many games they own or how many posts they wrote ;)

Q*ris

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Re: Sega Monaco GP cocktail....what a strange beast :)
« Reply #14 on: September 16, 2015, 08:36:19 PM »
Other machine has priority though: I decided to finally do one of the cabs I have the longest....Mario Bros. is going to be Donkey Kong !
YES! How could you live that long without a DK in your gameroom?
You will LOVE it!
Now back to SMGP :)