Posted by Mr Arcade on 4, 2001 at 8:05 AM:
In Reply to: Definition of a classic posted by saint on 3, 2001 at 11:31 AM:
My opinion is use the cabinet YOU want...there are only a handful of cabs that I would not consider "mame"ing...Computer Space, Major Havok, any Duramold, any prototype.
Other than those listed cabinets are fair game. I would *try* not to modify the cabinet in a way that is obvious from the outside...
Here are the experiences that led me to this...
When I got into Mame I was against "mame"ing classic cabs. I had a beatuiful Omega Race machine...boards had acid damage ( of course )...but the monitor was there and worked...this was a complete machine...just needed the main pcb repaired or replaced.
I tried for quite a while to locate a working board....or find someone to repair mine....months went by and no luck. Rather than mame the cab I offered it up for trade ...for a cab I could mame. I got a completely gutted Two Tigers (Tron conversion)...no monitor glass...no control panel...just the box and the coin door assembly.
The guy I traded with popped in a working board he had and sold the cab for a hefty profit. I had to buy or trade for parts for the Two Tigers cab. A few months later I noticed this same guy had a NOS Berzerk marquee for sale...I am certain he got it for next to nothing. I emailed him asking if he would sell me the marquee for a "fair price" since I gave him the Omega Race for the empty Two Tigers...no reply. Emailed him again...no reply. I knew he wanted a Joust pinball (rare) and was willing to pay up to $1500 for one. I found one and talked the owner into selling it for $750. I emailed the guy...and guess what...he replied...he bought the pinball...and still would not reply to me about the Berzerk marquee...
Saving that Omega Race from mame gave him money...costed me money...and angered me.
Now we move on to the Berzerk cab. Bought it converted to Arch Rivals...but the art was there and in great shape. I said I was planning to mame it and caught hell from all kinds of people...so I offered the cab up for sale for $70....what I had in it. No takers...but still they kept hounding me for planning to mame it.
So, I guess I am supposed to *give* these classic cabs to someone so they can profit from it...
Almost forgot...the Mark IV...Defender cab...I bought it for $1 at an auction...it was painted black with a Jamma game in it...no picture. I thought I had bought too many games...and it was the only non-working game I bought...so I sold it for $1 to a guy. He said he was going to gut it and leave it...so I asked where he was going to leave it in case I could squeeze it in. I had space so I went to get it. Boy had they gutted it...they had literally ripped the coin mechs ( and the mounts) off the coin door (classic silver one). All that was left was the wood and the coin door with nothing attached to it ( bent pretty badly too.
I spent around 3 hours stripping the black paint off the original art...and the cab looked great. I mamed it without drilling into the cab. They guy that bought it is a Defender nut. He will cherish the machine since it is in a Defender cab. He has it right in the living room and shows it off whenever someone new comes over.
So in closing I say this...get what YOU want...if it is a classic offer the cab up for sale for somewhere between what you have in it and $75. If it isn't worth $75 to anyone then don't feel guilty about having a nice looking cab for yourself.
(boy I hope someone reads this...I haven't typed a message this long....ever!?)
Mr Arcade