APB Restoration

[retroACTIVE]

Making some progress...

Here are a few construction pics...

I rebuilt the lower panel recessed for a fan filter... I don't want anything sticking out beyond the wood surface (like the original fan grille) so I counter sunk it...

First removed old panel and old cleats... they were pretty much disconnected from the cab anyway... Atari glued them onto the vinyl and stapled them so they just cracked off from years of stress... I cut away at the vinyl and applied hot poly glue when anchoring the new ones...

Here is the new panel and cleats... with a light coat of paint

New cleat..

I tipped it on its front, plopped the door in to get the position...

Hot poly glue and stapled in place...

For those of you who saw my Star Wars restore... I pretty much did the same thing, except this one was a bit more fancy with the fan cut-out.

 

[retroACTIVE]

Started painting....

Here are a few pics... this is only the second coat... I'll probably end up with 4 coats all said and done... pictures are kind of crappy... it looks much better in person.

PS... don't tell anyone I had my first paint accident in the garage... spilled about a pint of black on the floor... total duface move!

 

[retroACTIVE]

It looks orange peely in the pics because they were taken before the paint settled. I checked it this morning... perfect! I'm thinking one more coat and that's it.

 

[retroACTIVE]

Put third coat on... I thinned it a bit too much and there is some sagging in the finish... I was hoping that it would be the last but I'm in for one more...

 

[retroACTIVE]

Enough already!!!

How many coats of paint on an APB is too many?


1 too few
2 too few
3 oops too thin finish sagged (should have been it)!
4 messed up the finish (mixed old paint by accident, screwed up again)!
5 at the moment... fingers crossed

 

[retroACTIVE]

Plugging away... paint finally over... got some stuff to show

Painting done
Tmolding done... (looks freakin' fantastic... pics are lame)
New fan installed
Electronics back in
Fired up... playing blind (of course... no monitor installed silly!)

Monitor is next...

This black is awesome! Good 'ol rustoleum thinned with acetone. Too bad artwork will cover 2/3rds of it

 

[retroACTIVE]

more pics...

Installation of the new fan assembly...

 

[retroACTIVE]

a few more pics of the fan...

...thats it for the fan stuff

 

[retroACTIVE]

last of it ... for now

... still debating on whether or not to paint the shelf... it looks like crap... the old coin counter thingie had batteries that leaked leaving a nasty stain. I sanded it but it still looks like garbage.

... camera takes crappy pics but you get the point.

... don't mind the poopy coin door, its only there for access to the switches for testing purposes

 

[retroACTIVE]

D9500 Monitor in and functioning b e a u t i f u l l y!

Here is the installation of the D9500 tri-sync monitor...

Since it was a shelf mount, I had to remove it from its frame and put it on a D7700 frame I had kicking around from an old DK conversion ... usually I get rid of all my leftovers... this time I'm glad I kept it!

Bezel and glass aren't as nice as I'd like but they still look ok...

This monitor looks fantastic... worked like a champ... The original APB is Medium resolution and the harness uses +V +H sync connections... this does not work for the D9500 (at least it didn't for me). I had to connect it using -COMPOSITE sync. Thankfully the board puts out this signal... And remember boys and girls... use pin 10 on the D9500 header, don't combine -V and -H signals like you would on traditional analog monitors it doesn't work that way on this monitor!!!!

 

[SuperBee4406]

Dam the cab came out awesome. So when do you want to help me with mine?

 

[retroACTIVE]

Thanks! I'm going to send the seat frame, foot pedal and coin door out for powder coating in a week or so... then I can be done with this one.... Berzerk is next.

 

[Gruber]

looks really good! Bravo!

 

[retroACTIVE]

Thanks!

Stuff left:

+ Get seat frame, coin door and foot pedal powder coated and install them
+ Assemble wooden seat and install it.
+ Apply side art
+ Probably paint inner shelf
+ Clean and re-finish vent louver panels and install them
+ Staple back door sheet to the new door
+ Purchase new bolts for the seat frame (these are the inside anchors that bolt it to the cab)
+ Purchase new screws for the marquee
+ Clean and install marquee and lamps

 

[pmichelsen]

Looks damn good, I have been on the fence as to whether I am going to sell mine or not, but seeing your pictures makes me want to hang on to it. Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[retroACTIVE]

Looks damn good, I have been on the fence as to whether I am going to sell mine or not, but seeing your pictures makes me want to hang on to it. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Thanks!

Tell ya what sucks about restoring this game... you really have to like it, its not one of those restorations you can expect to ever get a bit back out of. APB does not command a high ticket price even when in good shape. I've put way too much into this game than most would care to, but its a keeper for me and I'm going to make it as nice as possible. If I were to ever sell it, I wouldn't let it go for cheap, even if the market doesn't bear it. It will be darn close to factory fresh on many counts and in some cases better. Heck having 6 coats of paint on the thing is way better than that nasty vinyl that is prone to peeling and damage. With all of the steel powder coated I don't anticipate it will wear at all.

Definitely doing this for the love of this game.

 

[pmichelsen]

Did you end up making your own seat (metal portion) or did you have one already?

 

[retroACTIVE]

Did you end up making your own seat (metal portion) or did you have one already?

I actually bought one a while back from TNT its a little rough so it needs to be blasted and powder coated. Its the one I used to model all of the blueprints for the reproduction.

 

[MikeyDee]

Explain the T-molding problem. How is the original different?

BTW, nice work. I thought I was the only one who spent way too much time restoring the inside of the cabinet that no one ever sees

 

[retroACTIVE]

Explain the T-molding problem. How is the original different?

BTW, nice work. I thought I was the only one who spent way too much time restoring the inside of the cabinet that no one ever sees

Thanks!

The replacement t-molding I purchased from t-molding.com would not stay put in the original slot... the original t-molding had a thicker spline and after removal pretty much left to wide of a gap in the panel so the new t-molding (with a slightly smaller spline) would simply not stay in. I filled the entire slot all the way around with bondo and re-cut it with the 1/16" slot cutter.

Yeah I know what you mean... I tend to work from the inside out on restorations. I really try to get it back to factory if possible and then if I need to paint the inside in spots to keep down on the dust and such I do it. Its a curse that slows the whole process down ... but oh well, I don't have to think about it once its done... I've touched every part of the game... inside and out.