Biggest Resto Regret

Ubergeek

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So I was looking through the autotrader the other day and there were a butt heap of those low-rider pick-up trucks and junior circuit rice rocket racers in there. I couldn't help but laugh when almost all of them said something like "$15,000 invested. Must sell $3000 obo."

I am just wondering who out there has a resto story along the same lines. You bought a cab to fix up, kept fixing, kept spending, and at the end of the day the smoke clears and you are WAAAYYYY farther into it than you thought.

It hasn't happened to me yet, but there is one out there I am tempted to buy......
 
thats a big problem with cars, I can see a little bit of it in cabinets, buy a shitty cab for 50 and put 400 into it you might be able to sell for 400-500 pending what it was.

With cars though, I have at least 12-15k into my car and can only sell for 7-8 on a GREAT day lol. Its over time though so you really dont think about it.
 
Really?

You are all so good that you have never overspent or got in over your head????


Fine then.... screw you guys, I'm goin' home....:)
 
I paid 250 for a working track and field.

Put a new hap monitor into it for 160
bought new buttons and CPO 60
White and blue paint 40
new side art 200
New bolts...screws..... 20
New speakers 20


after all was said and done add in some shipping and some gas for the pickup. I bet I have 800 bills in... I bet i could not sell it for 600.

I would guess that I am no more than a couple hundred lost in any of my restores.
 
I just got a Track and field a few days ago,its a Keeper for sure.
Several of my games are that way. I got them when prices where high and restored them, but now that prices are down, I could never get out of them what I spent. :(

Scott C.
 
I got a nice Popeye in a near perfect DK cab for $150, had graphic glitches. I stripped out the Popeye stuff, pieced together a DK kit, painted the cab, did a complete restore and sold it for $850.

Cab: $150
DK PCB: $55 shipped
Bezel: Free
Marquee: $14 shipped
DK3 harness: $45 shipped
DK CPO to put on Popeye CP: $20 shipped
T-molding: $20 shipped


$850 sale price -
$355 Total invested
$495 Profit


-Oh wait, that's the opposite of what you were asking.
 
Several of my games are that way. I got them when prices where high and restored them, but now that prices are down, I could never get out of them what I spent. :(

Scott C.

But darn it. Someone has got to save these 80's treasures from the heap. not to mention it is totally cool to have a mint game. I seriously doubt that any of my friends actually notice the time and effort put into restoring the glory to them. they would probably like them just as well if they looked like crap. They are cretins.
 
i would say my tempest. i've kinda toned down the restoring, provided the stuff i get isn't in terrible condition, but i had about a grand into this and sold it for $550. i needed the money at the time, so i don't regret it a bit, but it's the main thing i'd say i've lost money on game wise.
 
Well, the Zaxxon I "restored" into a "blaxxon" by over painting the destroyed woodgrain sides and front and completely replacing several wood pieces I probably put in say $200 over time with the restoration process. But I am sure I could only get about the original $70 I paid for it.

I don't regret it though. It was a learning process, my Bondo, painting, and cleaning work skills improved 100% and I got to remember why I didn't like Zaxxon in the 80's.

Looks good in my office though. Mind, I don't DISLIKE the game that much - but it ain't the first one I'd fire up.
 
I put way more money into my restores than I will ever get back. The good news is that I am restoring these to keep and not sell. I could buy two nice Centipedes for what I have into mine. But I have a mint Centipede that was saved from an Arkanoid conversion. Every time I look at the restored games I get the satisfaction of knowing what I put into them and don't care about the cost.

When I finish my Arkanoid, I'll have about $1,000 into it. Not going to turn a profit on that one. (but wait until you see it)
 
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