Moon Patrol to Sinistar Conversion

YellowDog

In Memoriam

Donor 2011, 2013
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For all of those who think that classics should only be restored, bite my shiney metal ass! I'm tired of waiting for a decrepid Sinistar to fall into my lap, I am converting a decrepid Moon Patrol.

The boards are dead, the paint has been desecrated the bezel is flaking. About the only thing decent is the wood and the marquee and I haven't pulled the marquee so that may not even be worth anything.

Here is what I had to start with:

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Here was a mockup to see if it would work:

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I cheated by running video from my Sinistar Simulator. As you can see the monitor is too high. The only way to fix that is to lower it about 1 - 1/8".

So it is time to build - destroy - build:

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The new monitor platform. I made it out of 1/2" plywood with two side piece of 1/2" plywood for spacing and added t-nuts so that it can be bolted on easily and solidly. The old shelf is 3/4" thick + 1/2" plywood (really 3/8") = 1-1/8". So it is perfect.

So much for build, now to destroy. The current monitor shelf needs to have a 17" wide hole cut in it.

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Saga continued in next posting.

ken
 

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Here is the new monitor shelf bolted in place below the old one:

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Here it is with the monitor installed:

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and here is how it looks from the front:

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Here is the overall look with the bezel in place:

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Next up wiring. I'll save that for the next posting.

ken
 

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Yeah, I'll probably have to do that myself (use a MP cab).
Glad to see the bezel and CP fit.
 
Sunday Update:

I have the metal plates mounted.
The old MP power brick swapped out for the Sinistar power brick.
All the boards are mounted on the plates.
All the cables except the control panel cable (it is too short) are hooked up.
Just before I quit for the night, I powered it up and it booted "All Systems Go!"

So now I need to rebuild the control panel cable and swap the moon patrol marquee out for a Sinistar marquee and it will be substantially complete. I need to order some t-molding and some locks, cut an upper back door and paint the sides black (for now, stencils later). Whew. And it is still freaking hot working in the garage down here.

ken
 
Of course, you realise you'll now find a perfect empty Sinistar cab going really cheap and close to you sometime in the next few days.
 
What did you do with the MP wiring harness? I need one...

PM sent.

Of course, you realise you'll now find a perfect empty Sinistar cab going really cheap and close to you sometime in the next few days.

Boy, that would be just the worst thing in the whole world. Having two Sinistars would be the pits...:D

I want to get a 10 yard fight harness...are they the same?

Sorry, I don't know anything about 10 Yard Fight. If you check the manuals on both you should be able to determine if they are similar.

Couldn't you just build an Extension cable?

I could and that is an option. I have to check if I have matching plugs and connectors. I am guessing that I don't, so it will be just easier to pull the I/O connectors and solder on 24" wires to extend it and recrimp new connectors (I have lots of the molex connectors, wire and heat shrink tubing).

ken
 
I could and that is an option. I have to check if I have matching plugs and connectors. I am guessing that I don't, so it will be just easier to pull the I/O connectors and solder on 24" wires to extend it and recrimp new connectors (I have lots of the molex connectors, wire and heat shrink tubing).

ken

Update: I had a little time this past weekend so I rebuilt the control panel cable, attached the 6.3VAC lines and the +5V line to power the joystick and plugged everything together and cable tied it all into some semblence of order. I also spent some time and fixed the marquee light.

The end result was that I got to play a half dozen games of Sinistar Sunday afternoon.

Now for the black paint and the back door.....then the pictures

ken
 
Hm.. does this mean that the Sinistar cab and Moon patrol cab both share the same side profile and width from the CP upward ?

if thats the case i can build a new sini cab from scatch and all i need is a bezel !
 
Update: I finally got the Sinistar working again. It died the night of the party (there has to be a sacrifice) and I finally had time to spend some checking the boards over. It turned out to be a bad ground connection on the sound card. Re-installed the boards and everything came up the way it was supposed to.

While I was working on it, I cut the back door and installed the lock. It is not painted, but then neither are the sides, yet.

I received the order of t-molding last week so I stripped the old t-molding off and installed the new stuff.

For those who don't believe without pictures:

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The Joust fluorescent died the morning of the party as well so I stuck the Joust boulevard sign over it. I haven't had time to get to Home Depot which is the only place around here where I have found the 15" bulbs. Lowes doesn't seem to stock them any more.

ken

Edit: And before somebody complains, I do have a red ball stick. It need some severe polishing as it is pretty rusty. I just bought the mechanical parts of a Sinistar stick off Ebay, I am hoping that stick is in a little better shape and I can swap it in.
 

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Is that the MP CP under Sinistar CPO or did you manage to fit a
sinistar cp on the MP cabinet?

Nice job BTW..

Malice95
 
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