Capcom Big Blue Restore or Cleanup?

[MACDRU]

Hey guys, this is my first ever arcade cabinet purchase and restore attempt. I picked up an Alien Vs. Predator Big Blue cabinet for a decent price and I'm on my way to convert it to a Super Street Fighter II Turbo cabinet. The cabinet is in great shape so I am conflicted on whether to to a full restore or keep it somewhat original and deal with it's "character". I really want something that looks brand new so I am replacing whatever I can to make the cabinet look that way. Hopefully with high quality reproduction parts. I just need a little help with suppliers for some of the resto parts. I also need some help tracking down a new Control panel bottom or modifying this longer 3 player unit.

Here is what I have done so far: 1) Fixed bulging cap on WG 7400 chassis to fix vertical alignment issue, 2) Ordered new Control panel top with plexi cover from Haruman's Customs for SF layout, 3)Ordered all new parts for the controls (jamma+ harness, buttons, joysticks), 4) Ordered new Marquee from Szabo's Arcades.

I still need help with:
1) Deciding whether to to clean or replace the superficial laminate and finding the correct supplier to find a correct color match.
2)Find the best quality CPO and side art. (GOG and escapepodonline seem to be the only suppliers, who is better?)
3) Find a replacement control panel bottom or trade for a smaller version, or modify the one I have. If I modify the one I have, I'll need correct dimensions of the smaller one. Also, the laminate will probably get destroyed during the process.
4) Find correct USA SSF2T CPS2 B board. I have a USA "The New Challengers" board but want the correct USA SSF2T board. They seem very few and far between.

I'll be uploading a few pics to see what you guys think of my first step into the arcade hobby.

 

[Anselmo]

First off, WOW! Awesome pick up.

The sides look great and original vynil is always best to leave on if it's in good shape.

I think all the parts you listed are a great way to get this thing looking Mint. Haruman's panel is a great buy and a quick way to get you playing this thing ASAP.

I got my SF2 control panel overlay from escape pod. They did a great job. Just make sure you note it's for a Gen 2 big blue and measure out the width needed. Mine arrived a quarter inch short, but they replaced it at no cost. Kudos to them!

People insist on finding the blue super turbo I board, which I get it it's the proper "usa" version. It just the worst version to play solo because the A.I is broken and you can't adjust the difficulty settings. Plus the price you'll pay for an original blue super turbo is $350-$400 +......for that price you can buy a darksoft kit and have every single cps2 game in your cabinet!

 

[Kidkaos]

Hey guys, this is my first ever arcade cabinet purchase and restore attempt. I picked up an Alien Vs. Predator Big Blue cabinet for a decent price and I'm on my way to convert it to a Super Street Fighter II Turbo cabinet. The cabinet is in great shape so I am conflicted on whether to to a full restore or keep it somewhat original and deal with it's "character". I really want something that looks brand new so I am replacing whatever I can to make the cabinet look that way. Hopefully with high quality reproduction parts. I just need a little help with suppliers for some of the resto parts. I also need some help tracking down a new Control panel bottom or modifying this longer 3 player unit.

Here is what I have done so far: 1) Fixed bulging cap on WG 7400 chassis to fix vertical alignment issue, 2) Ordered new Control panel top with plexi cover from Haruman's Customs for SF layout, 3)Ordered all new parts for the controls (jamma+ harness, buttons, joysticks), 4) Ordered new Marquee from Szabo's Arcades.

I still need help with:
1) Deciding whether to to clean or replace the superficial laminate and finding the correct supplier to find a correct color match.
2)Find the best quality CPO and side art. (GOG and escapepodonline seem to be the only suppliers, who is better?)
3) Find a replacement control panel bottom or trade for a smaller version, or modify the one I have. If I modify the one I have, I'll need correct dimensions of the smaller one. Also, the laminate will probably get destroyed during the process.
4) Find correct USA SSF2T CPS2 B board. I have a USA "The New Challengers" board but want the correct USA SSF2T board. They seem very few and far between.

I'll be uploading a few pics to see what you guys think of my first step into the arcade hobby.

Congrats on the pick up, your cab looks nice as is on the outside. I'd focus on other stuff like the Qsound amp. Have you looked into that?
Also your tag says SSFA2= Street Fighter Alpha 2 1993? It came out in 1996 so that's interesting. But I co-sign with Anselmo. You're not gonna find SF2ST for less than $350-500, with that money I would get the Darksoft kit which I'm doing as well. Artwork I'd get from XLARCADE, they make everything right in my opinion and is my go to.
I look forward to how this turns out.

 

[LinguistiX]

How does it have an SFA2 label and an AP2000 label with AvP wide control panel?

It's your cab, but if it was me I'd rather restore it to AvP and then maybe make another proper sized big blue control panel that can be swapped out for fighters. Best of both worlds. AvP is really fun with 3-players, less so with 1.

That said, what was up with the previous owners placement of the controls?! LOL

 

[LinguistiX]

Wait, is the game label on the removable back door? That might be why they don't match, back door might be from an original Alpha cabinet.
Even more I'd lean toward making it AvP. That Alpha label is meaningless if it's on a removable door. All signs point to this being AvP, unless you find more details buried within. My vote is get (or make) a second control panel.

I'll bet it still has the AvP holes and placement still there for the third middle player.

 

[MACDRU]

Wait, is the game label on the removable back door? That might be why they don't match, back door might be from an original Alpha cabinet.
Even more I'd lean toward making it AvP. That Alpha label is meaningless if it's on a removable door. All signs point to this being AvP, unless you find more details buried within. My vote is get (or make) a second control panel.

I'll bet it still has the AvP holes and placement still there for the third middle player.

I am 99% sure it is AVP and the SSFA2 label is probably some generic code that is just coincidental. I think a few other people have the same label on their cabinets. Also there is a matching internal label that has the same serial number. It does have the original 3 player control panel underneath. Someone just added 3 extra buttons on each side of the outside joysticks. That's why it looks so weird. The cabinet came with a MvSF game so the AVP is long gone. Keeping it an original AVP would prevent me from playing all the wonderful CPS2 fighting games I have.

 

[MACDRU]

Congrats on the pick up, your cab looks nice as is on the outside. I'd focus on other stuff like the Qsound amp. Have you looked into that?
Also your tag says SSFA2= Street Fighter Alpha 2 1993? It came out in 1996 so that's interesting. But I co-sign with Anselmo. You're not gonna find SF2ST for less than $350-500, with that money I would get the Darksoft kit which I'm doing as well. Artwork I'd get from XLARCADE, they make everything right in my opinion and is my go to.
I look forward to how this turns out.

The Qsound amp works great. Everything looks good except for the harness being a little hacked up from a monitor replacement. I think I got lucky because it has a manufacture date of 2004 on the chassis so it looks like brand new. The picture on the tube has zero burn in.

 

[PersonaNonGrata]

Congrats on the pick up, your cab looks nice as is on the outside. I'd focus on other stuff like the Qsound amp. Have you looked into that?
Also your tag says SSFA2= Street Fighter Alpha 2 1993? It came out in 1996 so that's interesting. But I co-sign with Anselmo. You're not gonna find SF2ST for less than $350-500, with that money I would get the Darksoft kit which I'm doing as well. Artwork I'd get from XLARCADE, they make everything right in my opinion and is my go to.
I look forward to how this turns out.

thanks for the headsup on xlarcade, great stuff !

 

[LinguistiX]

Keeping it an original AVP would prevent me from playing all the wonderful CPS2 fighting games I have.

Only if you don't make/get a fighter friendly CP to swap in and out I'm all about ST as well so I feel you.
And swapping CPS2 games takes seconds. Like I said, up to you. But original AvP control panels aren't exactly a dime a dozen.
Sounds like it'll be a fun project either way. Must say, I'm jealous. Big Blues are unicorns in my area...

 

[MACDRU]

I received some more parts for this resto/cleanup. The Control panel and acrylic arrived from Haruman's Customs and it's an awesome deal. I would definitely recommend them. It looks like I am going to trade/sell the whole 3 player AVP control panel. I would rather do a swap for a 2 player SF version in the same condition than remake one from scratch. Who needs a 3 player AVP Control Panel?

 

[MACDRU]

Here are a couple pics of the control panel for anyone that may be interested. The first pic has the acrylic sheet (still with paper covering) lying on top of the 3/4" MDF panel.

 

[Guydudebreaux]

I'm doing one also. Where did you get the CP and acrylic?

 

[MACDRU]

I'm doing one also. Where did you get the CP and acrylic?

https://www.harumancustoms.com/

 

[DuffCon]

I am 99% sure it is AVP and the SSFA2 label is probably some generic code that is just coincidental. I think a few other people have the same label on their cabinets.

I agree, my big blue has the same model number but came with SSFII, and the 2 player 6 button control panel. The model numbers seem to have been very loose. Possibly because they made a crap ton and changed the CP for whatever game.

 

[Nethawk86]

Darn! I needed a avp box and panel. I had haruman make me a custom 3 player standard size panel as i couldnt get the wide version remade.

 

[DuffCon]

Darn! I needed a avp box and panel. I had haruman make me a custom 3 player standard size panel as i couldnt get the wide version remade.

Honesty it still looks good. The reality is only the people in this thread would ever notice. My only observation is they the CPO is the wrong pattern, but I think no one has made a reproduction of the blue speckle pattern. Nice cab!