1983 Mario bros cabinet restore?

ultra7350

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Donor 6 years: 2011, 2015-2019
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I'm new to this forum. I decided to join since I just bought a 1983 Mario Bros arcade (narrow conversion style cabinet).
Everything works but the cabinet is in rough shape and I want to restore it. The sides have a light blue hard vinyl type of material that is in bad shape. What can I do to restore the sides and front of the cabinet to keep it the same color? I'm having trouble finding overlays online for a solid light blue color. I thought about painting it but paint might not stick. I also have new side decals I want to install after the sides are finished. Any ideas?
 
If you recondition it, make it look like the widebody:

SSL11487.jpg
 
So the primer will stick to the vinly or did you do a lot of sanding? Looks like u sprayed the paint on instead of brush. Where did u get the color of orange to match the wide body color?
 
Thanks for the ideas and paint code. Mine has the blue sides. But Im going to change it to orange and paint the front black just like the wide body cabinets.

I had another question; There is 2 AA batteries on the main circuit board, are they for the high score memory? The batteries were bad (look like they been in there for 20 years). I replaced the batteries but when I unplug the game I lose high score. I ordered high score saver from Mikesarcade. So I hope that will fix that.
 
On the sides mine has carriage bolts for the support and monitor brackets. I will hate to install the bolts through the new side art. Is there any other options in mounting the interior brackets?
 
Phet, have you restored that Mario Bros.? Looks awesome.

Juan

Yes I did Juan. Thanks. And bolts through the side art is standard. That's the way they came from the factory. They kinda blend in with the drop shadows anyway. It'll grow on you.

PA260015.jpg

PA260016.jpg
 
Looks freakin' bad ass! Thanks for confirming the bolts as well. Even as a kid it bummed me out seeing the bolts through the sideart. It is what it is, I guess. Someone just overlayed sideart over them on one side of mine. I need to restore mine.

I saw your resto thread but sadly there were no details. :(

Juan
 
Looks freakin' bad ass! Thanks for confirming the bolts as well. Even as a kid it bummed me out seeing the bolts through the sideart. It is what it is, I guess. Someone just overlayed sideart over them on one side of mine. I need to restore mine.

I saw your resto thread but sadly there were no details. :(

Juan

What details do you need? I can help.
 
Looks freakin' bad ass! Thanks for confirming the bolts as well. Even as a kid it bummed me out seeing the bolts through the sideart. It is what it is, I guess. Someone just overlayed sideart over them on one side of mine. I need to restore mine.

I saw your resto thread but sadly there were no details. :(

Juan

If you really don't want the bolts sticking through, check out what this guy did:

http://pac-maniac.com/donkeykongrestoration_page3.html

Pretty slick if you ask me.
 
If you really don't want the bolts sticking through, check out what this guy did:

http://pac-maniac.com/donkeykongrestoration_page3.html

Pretty slick if you ask me.

I guess if they bother you that much you could do that. Problem is, when you 'restore' a game, usually it is best to get it back to how it left the factory. If it is an interior thing like changing the power supply due to faulty design, or changing the material to something more resilient, I am all for it. But when you change the exterior hardware, cosmetics or overall appearance of that being restored because "you really don't like how they did it", are you really restoring it? Not that I haven't made my share of 'improvements' in the 15-20 games I've restored, but for some reason, 'the bolts thru the sideart' thing that Ninty cabs have appeals to me. If you don't like it though, by all means do what makes you happy. Not sure it really matters in the big picture. With Mario Bros, it's only 2 bolts after all. In fact, I used to restore DK cabs with all 5 bolts on the sides. Then I realized, those 3 H bolts were put there with conversion in mind. I now just allow the 2 V bolts to stay and fill the other 3 holes. I guess I must be evolving.
 
But when you change the exterior hardware, cosmetics or overall appearance of that being restored because "you really don't like how they did it", are you really restoring it? .

I do agree with you. I was just putting it out there as an option since I remembered seeing it.
 
If you have a standard sized cab then won't you end up with 3 monitor bolts (for the horizonal mounting)? Am I right that they would also be in a different spot than Phets?

I just bought a DK Jr. cab (hopefully I'll be picking it up this weekend) and I'm seriously considering converting into a Mario Bros/Vs. Cabinet. My first instinct was to take it back to DK Jr., but I've already got a vertical mount cabinet and I'm pretty sure the a Mario Bros converstion would be entirely non-destructive (the cab already has 5 holes drilled for both types of monitor mounts).
 
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