how many times have u seen games out for trash?

vintagegamer

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i have read many posts where folks have saved games from the trash. In my experience the only game i saw out at the curb was my kick game after i gutted it. There has never been a time when i saw one of these classic beauties out to walk the green mile. Maybe the folks where i am can't bring themselves to junk them either?
 
One. A Frogger. It worked fine. Was just missing the back door. This was 20+ years ago, though. None since then.
 
My Pole Position II was sitting on the curb in a shithole city (Newark, NJ). I got a call from one of my workers about it. 100% complete and cosmetically 7.5/10. Dick repaired the game board, I rebuilt the monitor, and its game on. Was used in a laundromat as it was covered inside and out with lint.
 
Friend saw a Burger Time but by the time I got there a hour later it was gone A day care had thrown it out. I saw a Ms pac man on the back of a guys porch as I was driving. I went back later and he let me have it.
 
I've seen 2 in my travels.... 1 the cabinet was put outside and was already beat up on by somebody... to the point where I really couldn't make out what it was.

The latest one I saw, was just a few weeks ago, about 3 houses up from me. I was just on my way out and they had just hauled it outside. It was a Space Fever cocktail...

I mentioned, I was on the way out and didn't have time to grab it, and wasn't sure if I wanted too because I already have a Space Fever cocktail AND about 4 other cocktails I want to get rid off... but I figured I would grab it on my way back anyways.

As I go by on the way back, it was already gone...so somebody in the neighborhood probably has a Space Fever in their garage that isn't working...hoping 1 day to get it going...and it will end up out in the trash at their house. Just waiting for it to pop up again! haha
 
I have never seen one until a couple days ago. I got an unlikely call about a roadside cab from someone who knew I was looking for them. It was someone I don't talk to that often, but the last time I did, I mentioned my hobby. And now I have a semi-working Satan's Hollow that I got for free because of a passing comment.

So I would say tell everyone you know that you're looking for them and to call you if they see one. Make sure you have a truck and jump on it when you get the call. I don't have a truck, but I have three brothers that do and I can usually borrow from one of them on pretty short notice.
 
zero point zero

Same here.
vernon0825.jpg
 
My father and his brother own a garbage route. Since I have been working, i have only seen two...

First was a NBA Jam that was very dirty. It was years ago. I wasnt into the games at the time but I wanted it. My father however thought I didnt need it and we cycled it through the truck.


Second was a few months ago. Found a Rock-Ola Eyes that had been converted to a Ally Master. Was missing the backdoor. I went by the same place about a hour later and found another behind the apartment but the owner had promised it to the movers already. It had been converted to a Sky Shark.

Couple days later, the people finished moving and left a big pile of trash at the curb. The back door to the Rock-Ola was leaning up against the trash. All i had to do was replace a voltage regulator on the pcb and reflow a few solder joints on the monitor.


Few guys i work with said they have thrown a few away over the years. I have heard stories of a roll off truck full of games being dumped at the land fill and the Caterpillar just running over them....
 
Once you let family and friends know how crazy you are over arcade games you will have a network out searching everywhere for games and it sometimes works. That's how I got my Space Panic for free :D
http://members.cox.net/sverlander/space_panic.html
 

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I have heard stories of a roll off truck full of games being dumped at the land fill and the Caterpillar just running over them....
'it's as if a million voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced' - Obi Wan Kenobi
 
My first cab was a ms. PAC machine that was being thrown out by a laundromat. Free roaches and all. It's what got me into this hobby a little over a year ago.
 
I saw a sitdown Outrun sitting outside a shop (non-arcade) while taking a backroad to avoid traffic near my work. It was starting to thunderstorm....
 
I haven't seen any. But there was a thread earlier this year about a Lunar Lander being found by old TV sets next to a dumpster.
 
I was driving home and down the street from the house at the curb, Space invaders. I asked the guy about it said it wouldnt turn on, so i took it home, replaced the power supply, BOOM, it works, no problems, good condition
 
never seen one local to me but I know someone local who was driving to work as someone was hauling an asteroids to the curb. He stopped and asked if it was trash and if so could he have it. The guy told him yes, he loaded it up and after work reflowed the pins on the monitor and had a nice working asteroids, which he quickly sold for $600.
 
Defender and Space Zapp

When you all see the picture of the Defender cab I know you are going to shit, but you have to remember it had been sitting in the rain and sun for a few weeks. So all of the paint on the side was way past the point of fixing. The guy said that he had the back off of the game looking it over. He forgot about the game and his dog had chewed all...ALL of the wire harness and flat ribbon cables. But the boards were still good. So I sold the boards and panel so I could buy parts. Used the monitor on a Galaga game. Sanded and painted the sides. And now have one kick ass Mame for.....FREE. Sooo don't hate me. The parts went back out to the world!!! I also got a Space Zapp cocktail for free at a garage sell. Well my friend did. Thanks Chuck, S!!! It played blind, but was a very easy fix. One bad wire to hook up. It's the only game that my wife likes. And what started what I call "THE SICKNESS" LOL. Free games are never free...LOL
 

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An operator picked up a cosmic chasm that was left out for street pickup. I bought it from them.

I got an exidy victory that was left out for free.
 
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