Frogger - Worth Restoration?

thegnome

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Today I picked up a Frogger cabinet from a local seller for $100. It works, and has a couple minor issues (horizontal hold on the monitor is an issue currently, but I haven't tried to adjust anything yet, so the jury is still out). Cosmetically, the machine is in rougher-than-I-would-like condition and I'm considering the process of restoring it, but my question is... are these particular machines worth the money/effort, or would I be better poised to fix the monitor, play it a while and look for a nicer one?
 

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More pics of damage...
 

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??

For a hundred bucks, that cabinet looks ten times better than the usual... Actually, I'd be thrilled to get a cabinet sub 200 in that condition.
 
Is a frogger Worth restoring.
Good question. Lets see how much one sold for on Ebay on their completed auction.
200, 210 and 1595 sold
1190.88, 1199, 475, 399, 1495, 1390.88, 1199,1495, 650 were all unsold.

Worth getting yes, Worth restoring most likely not. While everyone knows frogger, It normally doesn't command a high price.
 
Depends on your reason for restoring it. If you are restoring it because you love the game or because you enjoy the process then yeah, it will be worth it. If you don't get personal satisfaction from the effort and are doing it to make money off the game then you will most certainly be disappointed.
 
I picked up one to restore as I love the game, and it was hard to drop $100 just for the bezel and cpo, (got both from arcadeshop.com, both are awesome, just be prepared for $38 shipping fee as the bezel is oversized) but when it is finished, I think it will be worth it. If you are unsure, fix the monitor, play it for a while before you start the restro, and if you change your mind, , throw some new t-molding on it, clean it up, and trade it off or sell it, you should have no problem getting at least twice what you paid , as it is a popular game. Good luck with it!
 
For those who love the games, It is an odd question to ask others is this worth restoring. We just spend the time in our work shops just filling in and repainting. We buy art work for the games that sometime can cost more than the cost of the game itself. We buy and trade items and slowly restore a game back to it's glory days. There is a a lot of fun involded in polishing up a falling a apart swelled with water arcade game. Worth it in the money and time sense? No. Worth it as a personal satisfaction? Yes.

Checking completed Ebay sales which sells items at a higher price is only a rough guide. Some states arcade machines are just worth more. Local people who sell arcades regularly would be able to tell you what a frogger is worth in the local resale market.
 
Yep,

This falls into the same category most restorations do, only worth it if you care for the game.

If restoring something doesn't seem worth the money, I'd argue you don't care enough for the game. In that case I would play it for a while (if working), and pass it on to someone that DOES want to restore it for close to what you paid for it down the road (when boredom sets in).

Remember, with this hobby space is limited, so if you aren't in love with a cab it's probably best to set it free at some point.
 
Crap! That's all cosmetic damage!

At the very least, throw a new CPO on the thing, clean it, and play it.
 
work

If you think that's damaged cabinet you are not the person who should restore it. It is in very good condition for a Frogger with the original wood sides.

Keep in mind that most Frogger's don't sell for much but if it's a game you like it's worth it. Otherwise, try to sell it before you put money into it.

I own an original Frogger and I personally love the game. There aren't many out that haven't had the sides painted black or the veneer removed. If your a reservationist it's the right machine to restore.

Enjoy.
 
I've had 6 Frogger machines thus far. All that I restored. EVERY ONE OF THEM brought back more $$$ than I put into them. I still have parts to build a seventh, but I too need a cabinet.

Definately worth restoring if you plan on selling it, IMO.

Dave
COINOPSHOP
 
If you think that's damaged cabinet you are not the person who should restore it. It is in very good condition for a Frogger with the original wood sides.

Keep in mind that most Frogger's don't sell for much but if it's a game you like it's worth it. Otherwise, try to sell it before you put money into it.

I own an original Frogger and I personally love the game. There aren't many out that haven't had the sides painted black or the veneer removed. If your a reservationist it's the right machine to restore.

Enjoy.

I think it's rough around the edges but not "gawdawful". There's no swelling to the wood, holes, or missing chunks and the side panels are mostly in good shape. I would likely leave the sides alone and source some NOS control panel art. Honestly, I think the bezel is fine, or would be after a little work to reflatten it (pressing). It needs some paint work on the black areas and some patching, but I worry about the side veneer, it's currently in decent shape, but the edges are beginning to fray and I'm not 100% on how quickly these cabinets deteriorate after the edges get a little rough.

That said, fear not... I wouldn't paint over the sides as I have a fondness for the tackiness of the wood veneer.
 
All games are worthy of restoring if they are special to you.
I'm restoring games from one end of the spectrum to the other.
Cheap stuff like time pilot, pengo, road blasters to expensive stuff like DOT, EDOT, reactor, quantum - all the same to me.
 
Due to the painted particle board, the Frogger cabinets are usually in crappy shape, if not kept in a climate controlled room. Mine had plenty of potential, but plenty of cabinet issues because of flaking, etc.. Here's my restoration:

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=201428

I just need to fix the hacked wiring and install the 2 back panels.

Now THAT's how you restore a game! Well done resto and on topic, I'd restore a Frogger too, it's a top-shelf classic that deserves to be saved.
 
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