Expanding My Hobby

[Pop Culture Portal]

I've been doing some serious thinking/planning in getting into arcade machines, or coin-ops.  I know quite a few of you on here have some of these machines and thought you guys could help me out.  I'd really like to start buying, but I'm not sure what to look for.  A few questions I can think of right now:

Do you go to auctions and how succesful are you?  I just found out that there wil be several arcade auctions coming up in Nashville (reasonable driving distance for me).  From visiting other sites, it looks like prices range from $50 to $1000+.  I understand that the cheapos are fixer-uppers.  I'm not electronically stupid, but I'm not that good either.  Which leads me to my next question.

How hard is it to restore some of these machines?  Fixing the cosmetic flaws shouldn't be a problem for me...I'm just worried about the electrical parts!  A local dealer let me walk through his warehouse the other day and I saw about 5 or 6 guys working on everything from a Phoenix to some old western machine from the 60s.  Those old machines look like alot of work, but that's what I'm interested in right now...the really old machines and the early 70s to early 80s machines, especially like the old monochrome games.  BUT, I'm worried about finding parts for these old things.  I'm finding alot of websites that sell parts, side art, or whatever, but nothing for the old machines.

Are these things really heavy?  Could two people pick up, say, a Pac-Man and put it in the bed of a pickup?  The dealer I've been talking to has a Thunderblade for about $350.  It runs fine and looks OK (could use some cosmetic work, especially new side art).  He's also restoring a Space Invaders Deluxe that I'm interested in.  I didn't ask him, but I'm gonna guess it'll be in the $600-$800 range.

What say ye all? |D

[Izret101]

There are quite a few people with some arcade cab knowledge where are you guys?

I woulod like to know too since i plan on picking up MK arcade cabs in the not too distant future(i hope...)

[wrldstrman]

my goal is to own a ms pacman and robotron  good luck in your quest

[Tynstar]

I've been doing some serious thinking/planning in getting into arcade machines, or coin-ops.  I know quite a few of you on here have some of these machines and thought you guys could help me out.  I'd really like to start buying, but I'm not sure what to look for.  A few questions I can think of right now:

Do you go to auctions and how succesful are you?  I just found out that there wil be several arcade auctions coming up in Nashville (reasonable driving distance for me).  From visiting other sites, it looks like prices range from $50 to $1000+.  I understand that the cheapos are fixer-uppers.  I'm not electronically stupid, but I'm not that good either.  Which leads me to my next question.

How hard is it to restore some of these machines?  Fixing the cosmetic flaws shouldn't be a problem for me...I'm just worried about the electrical parts!  A local dealer let me walk through his warehouse the other day and I saw about 5 or 6 guys working on everything from a Phoenix to some old western machine from the 60s.  Those old machines look like alot of work, but that's what I'm interested in right now...the really old machines and the early 70s to early 80s machines, especially like the old monochrome games.  BUT, I'm worried about finding parts for these old things.  I'm finding alot of websites that sell parts, side art, or whatever, but nothing for the old machines.

Are these things really heavy?  Could two people pick up, say, a Pac-Man and put it in the bed of a pickup?  The dealer I've been talking to has a Thunderblade for about $350.  It runs fine and looks OK (could use some cosmetic work, especially new side art).  He's also restoring a Space Invaders Deluxe that I'm interested in.  I didn't ask him, but I'm gonna guess it'll be in the $600-$800 range.

What say ye all? |D

I have never been to an auction because there are none around here so I can't help you there.

As far as restoring them I have no clus how to fix one so I cant help you there either.

They weigh about 200 pounds so two people can left them. If you are laying it down in a truck and have a dolly you can move it by yourself. get the cab close to the truck tip it onto the tail gat left and slide.

@wrlldstrman - Good luck on Ms Pac-Man. When I first started getting coin ops that was the game I wanted. I got three other coin ops first then Ms Pac-Man. I have since sold the first three and kept Ms Pac-Man, Best game ever.

[captain_nintendo]

Restoring them will probably take somr research and luck. Like finding side art, T molding and such.

If you know anything about electrical or how to solder, that will come in handy. I recently repaired my Contra cabinet, yet had no prior experience in working on Arcade cabs. I used to do some electrical work and like working on electronic devices.

[Tynstar]

If it is a popular game art work and such are east to get. Most of the parts should be easy to get at well.

[blissfulnoise]

Let me preface.  I'm a novice when it comes to repair/fixing machines.  Take my advice as YMMV.

1) First off, they're heavy.  Way heavy.  If you're going to get serious about collecting them, invest in a good appliance dolly.  It's a must own.  If you're only going to get one or two machines, you can rent them from your local UHaul or Ryder branches for pickup purposes.

2) I don't have any of the older monochrome or mechanical games, but as you'd expect, mechanical games feature very little in the way of electronics (60s and 70s).  Monochrome games also have very little in the way of discrete circuitry so they may be easier to work on than others.

3) I've never been to an auction, but if you have a super auctions near you (www.superauctions.com) you may want to check it out.  Word from most people though is that deals at super auctions have been a lot less frequent as more and more people are willing to buy junk to put into their homes or businesses to cash in on the "retro" craze we're still in the mist of.

I've found great deals just watching eBay and keeping tabs on places that already have machines.  Just make a search for places within 100 miles and check it regularly.  You should see most of the popular games move through on a monthly basis.

Craigslist is another good source; just make sure to arrange for some face time with the machine so there are no surprises.

Another good source to check for newer used machines is: http://www.namcoarcade.com/game-sales.asp.

4) There are lots of good places to go for individual parts, specifically side art/marquee reproductions, controllers/buttons, coin mechs, and the like.  So I don't reinvent the wheel, head to the DP Arcade board (when it's up ) and check the links.  One I've recently used for Japanese style controls is: http://www.himuragames.com/faq.php

They're really easy to work with and have quality parts, but they're on this side of pricey.

5) As for working on them, it depends on what you're doing which determines how easy you might find it.

Are you comfortable with a soldering iron and a multimeter?  If so, it shouldn't be very hard for you to do most of the tasks it takes to keep your machine running at peak condition.

Take a look at http://randyfromm.com.  He offers DVDs and service manuals to train you to be very comfortable tackling repairs big and small in your machines.  They're not cheap, but they're good.

6) Finally, $600 - $800 for a mint Space Invaders Deluxe may be in the realm of reason.  Less than $400 would be more in line what it would get in the open market.  Very few arcades hit the $800 mark, and the ones that do are pretty obvious to spot (Tempest, Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man).

Good luck with your hunt, hopefully this was helpful.

[bum-man]

I did some research when I picked up my Ms. Pac-Man Cocktail Table. (A free find since someone had put it on the curb with the trash!!)  At least for that game there is plenty of info available and a few sites devoted to troubleshooting and the electronics.  Parts also seemed to be readly available as Tynstar said.  I did find that most sites that specialized in parts were priced really high.  For example the processor in the Ms Pac-Man is a Z80 (Z0840004PSC) which is listed here http://www.pac-man.com/mspacman/upright/front/ for $10 but the same chip can be purchased here http://www.neiparts.com/cmparts/semiconrecent.php for $1.99.  Not a huge difference but if you pay 5x the price for any parts you buy it can add up.  By the way it's not just the electronics that this applys to, I found that T-Molding can usually be purchased from a manufacture for much much cheaper than what the parts sites sell it.  With all of this stuff you have to do your homework and know exactly what you need before you buy something, otherwise you may be better off with one of the coin-op parts sites.  At least there they should sell you the right parts.

[Sauza12]

Super auctions is a great way to get machines on the cheaper side.  The one that I went to had about 400 machines to be spread across 300 people.  Of course there were dealers there that bought 15-30 machines, but for the most part if you go there with $300 you could walk away with one desirable machine, or 2 less desirable machines.  Just keep in mind that Super Auctions charges normal sales tax, plus a 13% buyers premium.  So the two machines that I bought a few weeks ago came to just under $480, when I won the two machines for $250 and $150 respectivly.

As for the weight, I would highly recommend renting a truck that has a ramp.  those things are just retarded heavy.  If you were to try to lift it even with the help of 2 people, you will probably be more successful in dropping a nut than getting it in the truck.  At Super Auctions, they have 2 or 3 guys that will help you load your machines, but unfortunatley they won't be there when you try to unload it.
And Blissful noise is right.  An appliance dolley is a must.  With an appliance dolley I can move a refridgerator down a flight of stairs without any help.  an arcade machine is probably the same weight if not a little heavier.

If you check in your local phone book, you can probably find a local place that will sell parts and will also repair your machines.  By me there are at least 3 such places.  If that is no help, then there are plenty of places online that sell parts, so you are bound to find what you need with a little hard work.  

I've never worked on a machine myself, but I have heard that it is not to difficult.  For some major problems, you may need a voltometer to diagnose the problem, but hopefully you know an electrician or two that should have access to one.

[captain_nintendo]

What ?! ?

You mean you guys just dont put your arms around them and lift

I like the cabs with wheels on the back, so you can tip and roll

I guess if you are moving more than 1 unit with a truck, it probably is best to get a lift gate, but me and tynstar had no trouble getting it up onto the back of his truck.  

[Tynstar]

What ?! ?

You mean you guys just dont put your arms around them and lift

I like the cabs with wheels on the back, so you can tip and roll

I guess if you are moving more than 1 unit with a truck, it probably is best to get a lift gate, but me and tynstar had no trouble getting it up onto the back of his truck.  

I am with Rick on this one. You gays sound like a bunch of girls  

With a dolly I moved my Ps Pac Man all by myself  onto a trailer without any problem.

[tholly]

I've been doing some serious thinking/planning in getting into arcade machines, or coin-ops.  I know quite a few of you on here have some of these machines and thought you guys could help me out.  I'd really like to start buying, but I'm not sure what to look for.  A few questions I can think of right now:

Do you go to auctions and how succesful are you?  I just found out that there wil be several arcade auctions coming up in Nashville (reasonable driving distance for me).  From visiting other sites, it looks like prices range from $50 to $1000+.  I understand that the cheapos are fixer-uppers.  I'm not electronically stupid, but I'm not that good either.  Which leads me to my next question.

How hard is it to restore some of these machines?  Fixing the cosmetic flaws shouldn't be a problem for me...I'm just worried about the electrical parts!  A local dealer let me walk through his warehouse the other day and I saw about 5 or 6 guys working on everything from a Phoenix to some old western machine from the 60s.  Those old machines look like alot of work, but that's what I'm interested in right now...the really old machines and the early 70s to early 80s machines, especially like the old monochrome games.  BUT, I'm worried about finding parts for these old things.  I'm finding alot of websites that sell parts, side art, or whatever, but nothing for the old machines.

Are these things really heavy?  Could two people pick up, say, a Pac-Man and put it in the bed of a pickup?  The dealer I've been talking to has a Thunderblade for about $350.  It runs fine and looks OK (could use some cosmetic work, especially new side art).  He's also restoring a Space Invaders Deluxe that I'm interested in.  I didn't ask him, but I'm gonna guess it'll be in the $600-$800 range.

What say ye all? |D

First off, here is what I have, all working 100% and what I paid for them:

Space Invaders Deluxe - $75
Super Mario Bros Vs. / Golf Vs. Sit-down - $125
Vigilante - $65
GoGo Juggler Slot Machine - $75
Neo Geo MVS 4 Slot "Big Red" w/ 4 games - $350
Super Mario Bros. pinball - $685
Special Forces pinball - $400 + trade of The Wizard (got it for $80) pinball that I had that was not working

All of my machines are, like I said 100%, all are in the proper cabinet with the proper parts (ie, non are conversions) and all look 80% or better cosmetically.

I bought them from:

Space Invaders Deluxe - Coin-op Warehouse
Super Mario Bros Vs. / Golf Vs. Sit-down - Private Seller
Vigilante - Super Auctions
GoGo Juggler Slot Machine - Super Auctions
Neo Geo MVS 4 Slot "Big Red" w/ 4 games - Private Seller
Super Mario Bros. pinball - Super Auctions
Special Forces pinball - Private Seller
The Wizard - Newspaper Ad

Some of what I bought needed work, which was all done by me and my father (works in SATCOM for army) with help from the internet and message boards.

To directly answer your questions:

1) I have gone to a few auctions and from private sellers.....both have been very successful, but auctions are becoming scarcer in my area, private sellers are looking like the way to go.

2) While I have no experience with the oldies, except The Wizard electromechanical that I had and couldn't fix, the newer stuff is easy to fix, with experience.  I am good with electronics, and my dad is great with them.  Cosmetically, they are pretty easy to work with too, especially with the internet to turn to for needed parts.

3) While they aren't light as a feather, they aren't all that heavy.  2 or 3 people can handle them.  Of the ones I have, the mini sit down nintendo cab is actually the heaviest, but still managable with 2 people (we picked it up and put it in the back of my mom's Land Rover before we had a trailer.....trailers are the way to go though....they make it super easy to transport machines....truck beds would work too, but they are a little higher.   Make sure if you get a machine, that you open it up before transporting and secure any loose components and remove things that are easy to remove, such as coin boxes....you don't want things like that slamming into the monitor and cracking it (I hate working on monitors.)

And lastly, Space Invaders Deluxe.....$800 is too much....I got mine at $75, put another $70 into fixing it up and it looks great.....I wouldn't go over $400 for it, unless the restoration on it is immaculate.....


Good luck with arcade machines, whatever you decide to get.....but remember, once you buy one, you won't stop.....

[Sauza12]

I am with Rick on this one. You gays sound like a bunch of girls  

With a dolly I moved my Ps Pac Man all by myself  onto a trailer without any problem.

Oh, well congratulations Mr Helper.  I could probably get a machine into the back of a pick up too, but Iwould be worried that I would do some damage to it.  

Also, I know that it would be alright, but I don't liek putting machines on thier backs.  I figure they were meant to stand upright, so I'm not gonna screw around.

[Tynstar]

Like Tholly said just make sure there are no loose parts inside the cab. I have moved many on their backs or sides with no problems.

[tholly]

Like Tholly said just make sure there are no loose parts inside the cab. I have moved many on their backs or sides with no problems.

i have moved all of them on their backs.....safest way, IMHO, as long as you have everything inside out or secure.....standing up, there is too much of a chance for tipping or, it would be higher up, say in a truck bed, for bugs / debre (sp) to hit it....