bmcclary
Member
Well, I'm starting another restoration. I am picking up this Tapper on Sunday and have already started doing some minor work on the machine.
I've been looking for a Tapper for years and finally came across one while talking to a salesman at a local car dealership. I've bought many cars from him in the past so we were shooting the shit while filling out some paperwork. I have no clue how, but we started talking about arcade games. He said "i've got a few games". I thought he would say he had some BS but after asking him what he had, he said "I've got this bar game where you serve beers to people". My ears perked up and said "Tapper?" He laughed and said he thought that was the one.
I asked if he would sell it and he told me that he wasn't looking to sell at this time. I put a notice on my calendar to call him every 2 months to check in and see if he was looking to sell. After months of pestering him, he finally caved and agreed to sell me the game for $1k.
After sending me some pictures thoughout the week (I had to coach him on how to send me pictures through his burner phone), I went and checked out the game last weekend. Overall, it is in good shape. A few small issues:
- Getting a blue screen with no gameplay
- Art is faded and chewed up on the back corners
- Could use a new CPO and player 1 & 2 start buttons
- Missing tap handles for controller
I was able to track down 2 of the tap handles from a collector in a FB group locally. I cleaned them up by attaching them to my powerdrill and using some 140 then 400grit sand paper.
I also picked up a new CPO from This Old Game, a new power supply, power supply adapter, tmolding, kick plate protector, ribbon cables and player 1 and 2 start buttons from Arcade shop and a new Midway coin door plate from eBay
Here is what I plan on doing to restore the game:
- Replace power supply with switching power supply and MCR Power Supply adapter
- New t-molding
- Replace CPO
- Remove rust from Coin Door and put a new coat of paint on front and back
- Add coin mechs
- Through cleaning
- Replace kick plate protector
- Replace Midway Coin Door plate
What I may do later:
- Have foot rail and cup holders rebrassed
- New Side Art and kickplate
I don't even have the game yet and I am already in to it for $500
I'll continue to update this thread as I begin the restoration process.
I've been looking for a Tapper for years and finally came across one while talking to a salesman at a local car dealership. I've bought many cars from him in the past so we were shooting the shit while filling out some paperwork. I have no clue how, but we started talking about arcade games. He said "i've got a few games". I thought he would say he had some BS but after asking him what he had, he said "I've got this bar game where you serve beers to people". My ears perked up and said "Tapper?" He laughed and said he thought that was the one.
I asked if he would sell it and he told me that he wasn't looking to sell at this time. I put a notice on my calendar to call him every 2 months to check in and see if he was looking to sell. After months of pestering him, he finally caved and agreed to sell me the game for $1k.
After sending me some pictures thoughout the week (I had to coach him on how to send me pictures through his burner phone), I went and checked out the game last weekend. Overall, it is in good shape. A few small issues:
- Getting a blue screen with no gameplay
- Art is faded and chewed up on the back corners
- Could use a new CPO and player 1 & 2 start buttons
- Missing tap handles for controller
I was able to track down 2 of the tap handles from a collector in a FB group locally. I cleaned them up by attaching them to my powerdrill and using some 140 then 400grit sand paper.
I also picked up a new CPO from This Old Game, a new power supply, power supply adapter, tmolding, kick plate protector, ribbon cables and player 1 and 2 start buttons from Arcade shop and a new Midway coin door plate from eBay
Here is what I plan on doing to restore the game:
- Replace power supply with switching power supply and MCR Power Supply adapter
- New t-molding
- Replace CPO
- Remove rust from Coin Door and put a new coat of paint on front and back
- Add coin mechs
- Through cleaning
- Replace kick plate protector
- Replace Midway Coin Door plate
What I may do later:
- Have foot rail and cup holders rebrassed
- New Side Art and kickplate
I don't even have the game yet and I am already in to it for $500