Donkey kong...an old friend finding new life.

pacman71

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These are some photos of the first day tear down of the DK I picked up Sat.

This game was thick with dust and smelled of elderberries and rabbit crap. :)

Anyway I imagine that your all sick of Donkey kong restorations, but like so many of us in our late 30's and early 40's this game is easily a top ten.

heres day one :

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq55/mikeatunion/dk restore/


My dog always wanted to be a star on the internet. I have a modern DK. If the story is that this machine is likely the same machine I played at Steamboat pizza port in Burlington Iowa.
 
Great start! I always forget to take pics. I just start taking things apart and then think I should have taken some pics. With that type of progress you should have it done by next week. Don't you just hate the holes that get drilled in the cabs. The worst is the holes in the coin doors. Hope to see more soon.
 
Great start! I always forget to take pics. I just start taking things apart and then think I should have taken some pics. With that type of progress you should have it done by next week. Don't you just hate the holes that get drilled in the cabs. The worst is the holes in the coin doors. Hope to see more soon.


I still need to find a coin door. I haven't thrown out the old one yet... but I am bummed that nobody has a door. I got lucky no laminate on this cabinet. I am going to uses stripper to clean off all the paint...then fill with bondo and try to tighten the cabinet up this weekend.

Got the side art, and tumbled all the hardware this week so there's no oxidation.

I plan on having the machine finished by next the Saturday following this coming.
 
easy paint removal

Man is chemical stripper worth it. It still took about 3 hours. but most of the time was spent petting the dog and watching the kids play.
IMG_1388.jpg


Later tonight if I don't fall asleep will come some bondo, Tomorrow sanding, priming and painting the cabinet with a couple coats of DK blue. I hope that 2 coats will make it really smooth, but I have a gallon so it may get 3. I wish I had a better air compressor... Mine can not keep up. It is only an 8 gallon. It take quite a while to do a cabinet. I may just have to go out and get a bigger air compressor.... Anyone have a good idea of what size to get?

I also got the cap kit ordered today from Bob Roberts, bought a new sodering iron from Menards... weird that they had like 6 to choose from... but no soder suckers. I bought a 100w gun, and new iron... The gun was only 10 bucks.

STILL looking for a coin door for this ..... Anyone feelling generous...or a little generous.
 
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Got the first coat on today. I hate freaking nats. I did this out side. I probably found 20 of the little boogers in the paint.

I am going to hit it again 1st thing in the morning. 2nd coat. 1st coat looks good.

prior to painting I used bondo to fill holes and sanded. Unfortunately there are a couple of spot that don't look perfectly smooth. Perhaps the second coat will help to hide some of the imperfections.

Looking forward to capping the monitor and getting this into the basement. I will try to get the PS back in the machine and all the wiring back into place. by tomorrow evening.

IMG_1395.jpg
 
2nd coat of paint applied, power supply and boards installed. Got the DK 2 daughter board seated an ready to go. Replaced the bulbs and painted the metal trim work.

A set back today. While cleaning up the bottom bracket for the bezel. I broke a peice of black laminate. now I have to find some laminate or a planer to get this thing smooth again. Also got a little overspray of DK blue where it shouldn't be. Looks like a bit of touch up work Friday.

It is looking good although the paint isn't perfectly smooth even after the second coat. Do you think it needs another coat...or am I beating a dead horse?

Getting prepared to cap the monitor. All is apart and ready to go. Just waiting on the caps.
 
2nd coat of paint applied, power supply and boards installed. Got the DK 2 daughter board seated an ready to go. Replaced the bulbs and painted the metal trim work.

A set back today. While cleaning up the bottom bracket for the bezel. I broke a peice of black laminate. now I have to find some laminate or a planer to get this thing smooth again. Also got a little overspray of DK blue where it shouldn't be. Looks like a bit of touch up work Friday.

It is looking good although the paint isn't perfectly smooth even after the second coat. Do you think it needs another coat...or am I beating a dead horse?

Getting prepared to cap the monitor. All is apart and ready to go. Just waiting on the caps.

If it's not perfectly smooth before you paint the first coat it won't get any better.

Did you prime the cabinet?
 
almost done.

I need to get some board work done. I fried some of the audio on the main board after a mistake when I capped the audio board.

still need to cut the some black paper for inside the cab, and either fix or replace the board I screwed up.

Got the DKII KIT into it can play without audio...

Expensive mistake. up next is space invaders.

DSC01385.jpg
 
finally in the basement

heres a short video. http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq55/mikeatunion/?action=view&current=MOV01418.flv

the video kinda blows. I will showcase that machine when I am 100% complete.

I still need to get the audio section of the board repaired or a different 2 board set, and get some cardboard inside but it is working and looking good.

Strange it was the first game I wanted, but it took me this long to get an original. Best part is that it is the same machine I played 25 years ago.
 
If it's not perfectly smooth before you paint the first coat it won't get any better.

Did you prime the cabinet?


Yep I primed. I am much better at using bondo now. At least the coin door looks good. the next restore will go better.
 
Looks good. The only thing off that catches my eye is the t-molding on the top not going all the way to the back of the cab, other than that looks like a really nice machine. Good work - Barry
 
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