Good Karma ... A Grail Is Saved From Storage Unit Hell!

MilitiaMan

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Good Karma ... A Grail Is Saved From Storage Unit Hell!

So ... I know the word "grail" is thrown around quite a bit. I may have used the word once before when I found my Dragon's Lair, but generally it is not a word that crosses my lips very often because ...

A. I'm cheap.

and ...

B. I'm cheap.

I'm sure I could have minty grails shipped in from all corners of the U.S. if I wasn't so damn tight with my "arcade fund", but I digress ...

Today, I got lucky, or Craiglist threw me a bone, or whatever ... but I scored a NICE Taito Crazy Climber for under $200.00.

This is a game I have long coveted - would I love to have the Nichibutsu cabinet? Hell Yes, but I ain't complaining. I'm stoked. To me, a grail is game that you loved as a youngster, have long desired to own, AND is not easy to find. Check, Check .... and Check!

When I met the guy this morning at his storage unit, the graphics were glitchy and the sound was wonky but I figured I might get lucky and get it working with a good cleaning and re-seating of the chips on the board. As luck would have it, she fired right up after a bit of troubleshooting and the wife and I threw down a couple of games of Crazy Climber in the garage.

It still needs a good cleaning. I'll hit it hard with a Magic Eraser and some Goo Gone tomorrow morning.

I would love to have a nicer bezel. If anyone wants to sell me a REALLY MINTY one, shoot me a PM. I will buy it in a heartbeat. I actually stopped by a friend's house this afternoon and he gave me a nicer bezel than the one in the machine currently, but I would still buy a REALLY NICE one if someone wants to sell me one!

I just ordered a new CPO from Quarter Arcade and some White balltop sticks from Lizard Lick (the sticks in this machine are really sloppy).

Should clean up real nice ... I'll post some after pics when all is said and done.

All in All ... I could not be more thrilled!

Steve
MM

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Nice pickup, clean looking cab. I'm thinking about trying to get the bezel graphics resized to put on my mini, hate the mini bezel. I really like those Taito cabs, first game I bought was the red version of that cab, used to be a Stratovox. I always wondered why the yellow plastic disc on the coin door though.
 
Nice pickup, clean looking cab. I'm thinking about trying to get the bezel graphics resized to put on my mini, hate the mini bezel. I really like those Taito cabs, first game I bought was the red version of that cab, used to be a Stratovox. I always wondered why the yellow plastic disc on the coin door though.


I always assumed you pull it and put a credit button there.

let me know what you find on the audio problem. I changed the caps on the pcb and it did not fix it. Pretty sure I swaped the sound chip. So either is the amp or in the green glob..

I don't think you will find a nicer monitor bezel, most are flaking.. Your going to have to wait for reproductions.. Nice pickup. Looks nice..
 
Sweet score! What's the serial on it? Could make for an add to the serial number thread.

Serial Number is ... 109647

I spent A TON of time getting this machine dialed in and cleaned over the weekend. Some jerkwad decided it would be a good idea at some point to duct tape it to something and there was tape goo all over both sides. After about 4 hours and a half a bottle of Goo Gone, she looks clean as a whistle. I couldn't be happier with this pick-up.

My white joysticks and new CPO will be here this week and I will put her back together and get some pics up. I can't wait to get it in the loft and start enjoying it!

Note: STILL LOOKING FOR A MINTY BEZEL IF ANYONE HAS ONE FOR SALE. I HAVE COOL TRADEBAIT, TOO! SOMEONE SELL ME A BEZEL!

Steve
MM
 
+1

You're not going to find a nicer bezel.

I had ONE come my way in many years and the guy left it in the floorboard of his minivan for a few weeks with kids stomping on it. Didn't make it...

Nice for you..
 
You're not going to find a nicer bezel.

I am starting to think you are right.

I did actually have someone give me a nicer bezel than the one you see in the pics in this thread, but I would still rather have a nice, minty one.

Who do I start bugging about a repro ... This Old Game?

:)

Steve
MM
 
Wow! Under $200. Very nice, congrats. Almost looks as good as my $200 CCUR.;) Your lucky though that that side art's minty. The pervious owner had some stupid shippers which scratched, water damaged, scuffed the side art and T-molding. Some of the darn sounds were missing such as the climbing, climbers yells..
Regardless of that It's a fun and unique game.

Have fun with yours!

Ghostly!
 
Updated Resto Pics - Crazy Climber

Not really sure I can call this a restoration ... got lucky and didn't have to put much into it.

1. Re-seated all chips on board ... fixed glitchy graphics issues.
2. Replaced Control Panel Overlay with repro from quarterarcade, bought some white knobbed joysticks from Lizard Lick, and located some NOS white leaf switch buttons in the pile.
3. Magic Eraser everywhere. Goo Gone used on the sticky tape residue left from when some moron thought it would be a good idea to duct tape this game to something. No problem ... it only took about 6 hours to get it all off.
4. Got a nice bezel from a fellow collector here in Jacksonville.
5. Built a new base as the previous base was severely water damaged.
6. Sanded an repainted the marquee retainer and bezel retainer.
7. Adjusted and re-juvenated monitor.

Left to do ...

1. Get the coin door to light up.
2. Achieve Twin Galaxies high score.

For your viewing pleasure ...

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Beautiful!

One of my favorite games. I'd absolutely LOVE to pick one up... and I am not picky... any of the CC cabs would work (save for the cocktail).
 
That cab looks great! Great score! Add to the to do list to touch up the orange in the lower front area. Now I know what a kickplate is for! I've never had any games worn like that in the front.
 
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