Raises value.. if its not worth keeping in the original cab, then the original must be extremely poor. I think of it like a car... if its full of bondo, what's it really worth?
 
For me, any game guts in a new cab are worth less than those guts in the original cab.

If you told me, "Well, it had to be done `cause the original cab was shot", I'd say kudos. But I probably still wouldn't buy the game.
 
Raises value.. if its not worth keeping in the original cab, then the original must be extremely poor. I think of it like a car... if its full of bondo, what's it really worth?

Yea I'd say as long as the cabinet is a reproduction of the original it should raise the value. I think most would prefer a fully restored system that looks new and don't care if the parts are original as long as they look it.

The true collector will want original parts when possible. Chances are if the cabinet is in bad enough shape to warranty replacing though they would be looking for a different one anyway.
 
I think most would prefer a fully restored system that looks new and don't care if the parts are original as long as they look it.

That sounds more like a reproduction, and not a restoration.
 
I think this is a hard question.. I have thought about this alot.. I think to some it would be worth less and to some it would be worth more.. Here is my view.. May people have to do wood work, bondo, replace whole sections of wood, and apply new sideart to original cabs.. If the new cab is just wood with original guts, I think it would be worth the same or more on most cabinets, if its a common cab.. However if its a rare cabinet like Quantum ect maybe a bit less..JMO...
 
I mean, would you say a kit Shelby Cobra is as valuable as an original? Even if the kit used the exact same type of metal/materials?

What about a multi-pac in an original Pac-Man cabinet?

I don't have an answer myself. Both have value.
 
Does a new cabinet affect the value? Of course it does.
The next question you should ask is does the value go up or down.
Depends on the customer.
 
If your using a reproduction cab, and other restoration parts, you can end up with a game that looks out of the box new. If you have an original machine, it would have to be Nos or huo to be in similar shape, and either would go for a premium.
 
For me, any game guts in a new cab are worth less than those guts in the original cab.

If you told me, "Well, it had to be done `cause the original cab was shot", I'd say kudos. But I probably still wouldn't buy the game.

^^ This sentiment exactly.

*I* want original stuff, and if it comes down to patina or pretty(repro) - I choose patina. Heck, my personal DK could use some cab work, but I refuse since 1) Nobody can figure out what this friggin' candy coat was actually made of, and 2) It's all original, which means something ($) to people like me (and pook :p)

I think this is a universal sentiment when collecting anything. Such as the Shelby Cobra example given above by another poster. "Real" Cobra owners laugh at the reproduction owners. You're either a real collector, or just a rich man with lots of shiny toys - you can't really be both.
 
This is actually a easy answer....a new reproduction cabinet KILLS the collectible value of any game. It may raise the value to the non-collector.... Think about it....what are you buying? A new game that has no history as a real arcade game. It is a fake and in any collector hobby, reproductions are worthless.

Even all the original parts would not make it an original collectible piece.

Is a 1950's corvette frame with a new body and engine really a original collectible car? NO, it is a nice driving, looking, NEW car with not much in common with an original other than look.
 
Interesting discussion. I've restored a number of games, but the key thing is that I've known all along this is a labor of love, not profit. I'd be lucky to get 50 cents per hour for the time put in my machines, so I haven't sold any so far. The truth is that there just aren't very many extremely rich collectors around for vintage original arcade games so the values remain depressed.

I'm a car guy. I liken it to what happened with collectable cars. There was a time that you could buy Hemi Cudas, Roadrunners, etc for about $1200 to $2500 (for a really nice one). Now they sell on Barrett Jackson for as much as $900,000.00. The Japanese ignited the buying frenzy and it just spiraled up from there. It'd be nice if that would happen for arcade games, wouldn't it?

My brother who's also quite the car nut pointed out something that is worth considering if you're looking at the potential value of an arcade machine down the road. In every single case of a car becoming hyper-valuable, they have these key characteristics:

1. They were highly prized at the time they were built--as well as now. No Ford Falcon will ever go thru Jackson at $900,000.00 no matter how nice or rare it is.

2. They are rare. This one's tricky--a car can be rare because of low production but also because people trashed them. This is happening to the Dodge Viper--extremely low production (mostly hand-assembled), only 21,000 produced to date, and 50% of those have been totaled in wrecks.

3. They are original and unmodified. I had a chance about 30 years ago to buy a completely restored '56 T-Bird for $5000.00. I didn't have 5 grand then. The reason it was so cheap is the guy used Chevrolet Hugger Orange paint and Cragar chrome mags. But the car looked incredible.

Extrapolating that into arcade games, give the game a decent numerical value for relative interest level (#1) and rarity (#2). If you have a game that scores relatively high that way, I wouldn't touch it any more than you have to.

BTW, my paint expert is 90% sure the Donkey Kong coating is a Gel Coat like they use on boats. He based this both on the look as well as the aroma when it's ground.
 
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*I* want original stuff, and if it comes down to patina or pretty(repro) - I choose patina. Heck, my personal DK could use some cab work, but I refuse since 1) Nobody can figure out what this friggin' candy coat was actually made of, and 2) It's all original, which means something ($) to people like me (and pook :p)

+1 :D

This is actually a easy answer....a new reproduction cabinet KILLS the collectible value of any game.

Bingo.

That's not to say a repro cabinet / game doesn't have value; it might in fact have excellent value. But it doesn't have any vintage collectible value whatsoever IMHO.
 
Then with that reasoning.. a new cpo kills value. Replacement of the original sideart kills the value. If a new cabinet that matches the original in every way kills value, so does the two I mention.
 
Then with that reasoning.. a new cpo kills value. Replacement of the original sideart kills the value.

It kills vintage value, absolutely. You now have restoration elements in the mix.
 
Which would you rather have?

An original that looked like this:
2011-download-011.jpg


Or transpose the insides to this cab:
DSC00588-1.jpg


I'll take the second one any day for my game room.
 
Which would you rather have?

An original that looked like this:

Or transpose the insides to this cab:

That's easy: if pressed between the two, I'd take the original.

That new cab is beautiful...and, as such, looks like it just fell off the page of a Brookstone catalog. Nothing vintage or classic about that.

(But, in this case, I'd be more likely to find an original Ms. Pac-Man with a cab in better shape.)
 
Nothing vintage or classic about That? Obviously its not vintage.. classic, sure it is. Some folks on here seriously make me laugh. Its like there's 3 noice's posting here.
 
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