My Pacman Restoration (Hopefully)

[Cpen5311]

Bout' a month or two ago, i bought a Pacman machine on Ebay that was in pretty bad shape. But hey, it was $120. The bid stated, "Machine wont register credits or board, may be easy fix." Boy if i knew what i did now, haha! Anyway, got the machine here ok. That is untill my shipping bill came a few days later with an extra $200 added due to an "Inspection".
After i lost the fight with the carrier, i started to poke around at it a bit. It had a Ms Pac marquee and board inside but it is indeed an original Mr because the artwork came through when i sanded. Speaking of, i tried to salvage it but no luck. so i am going to buy some stencils soon after the holidays.
Back to the present, When i fired it up, the lights came on but no sound or video. The monitor was just purple. Did some research (how i came across this nice place) and came up empty handed. Replaced Fuses, nothing. Replaced cord due to a missing ground prong, nothing. Replaced very ugly ms pac board with new referbished 4 in 1 Muilti pac pcb, ...nothing.
And for the icing on the cake, about an hour ago my newest tear jerker came. A "tested, completed and working" Power supply and wiring harness from Ebay. Hooked it up, and you guessed it, nothing, litterally. A single bulb didn't even come on. It was an odd power supply though, and it didn't even come with the on off switch. Just two brown stripped wires dangling there. Yeah, completed my ass!
I dont feel like doing anything else untill after christmas due to greedy people and this project sucking $ outta me.
I'll post pictures from what it originaly looked like, and what it looks like in it's present state.
And i will post a picture of my "new" wiring harness and power supply, so hopefully someone can clarify if this cluster fuck needs an on/off switch or not.

 

[Cpen5311]

I'm glad everyone has as much enthusiasm as i do! Anyway, does anyone know what the best yellow spray paint would be to use on a pacman cab? I don't really want to use a roller on this. ANY response will be appreciated!

 

[LaserFan]

Hi

Sorry to hear about your troubles...things can be a little "shady" in the arcade realm from a small group of people.

You won't find that here though (usually). Everyone here is helpful when we have time to be..lol

Anyway, I think if you do a "thread" search for PACMAN PAINT CODES or something like that you should find a thread or two that will help..

I would do it for you but am busy with work right now...sorry

Good Luck and feel free to post in the "General" section if you need some help..sometimes it is faster than the restoration forum..

Take it easy

Jess

 

[LaserFan]

This should help

Check this thread out..

Should Help:

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=79727&highlight=pacman+paint+code

Jess

 

[Cpen5311]

Thank you! So if i go to a paint store with the codes can they somehow make it for a spray can?

 

[JC Arcade]

According to prOk's website (he's a KLOV'er with a great website, www.gamestencils.com), you might want to consider Krylon Sun Yellow spray paint.

Here's the link: http://www.gamestencils.com/index.php?sc_page=41

.

 

[Cpen5311]

I've stumbled upon that site before and had that one in mind, that's probably what i'll end up using. Thanks!!!
...Do you know if it comes in gloss AND flat. I doubt i would want to use gloss, correct?

 

[Talon2000]

Look at the bottom of this thread.

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=88155&highlight=pacman

The paint codes are automotive paint, that I got from english color, I had them color match the yellow.

Not 100% sure, but I think most automotive paint stores should be able to mix from that formula.

Some auto paint stores sell something similar to rattle cans. It's basically just a canned air, that you attach a glass paint container too. Other places can actually mix paint, and put it in cans.

Takes me a little over a quart (mixed) ie with reducer to spray the sides and front with two coats. With a spray gun, and compressor.

I would start checking with local auto paint stores for rattle can mixing

You may be able to get it in an enamel, or what is called One shot paint. Ie you don't need a clear.

Other wise base coat had no UV protection, and comes out flat.

As for the Krylon yellow, it has a tinge more red, and it's tint is a little darker. But the finish is more of a +Semi Gloss, to Gloss. No extremely Glossy though.

 

[Spyridon]

I used the colors that Talon2000 recommended and they are great (just be warned - automotive paint is expensive)

Your power supply has a switcher in it which can work, but isn't original. It takes some modifications to work in a pac cab. Check with Tood Tuckey from TNT Amusements. He sells complete pac-man power supplies and wire harness for $20. He may still have some left. I got one from him for my pac-man restore.

 

[Cpen5311]

Can you inform me on this switcher you speak of? lol
...And it said it came from a working cab to begin with, so hopefully i wont need to do any modifications.

 

[Cpen5311]

Ok so i soldered the two brown wires that went to the on/off switch together and the machine turned on. The bad news... it's still the same as it was with the old wiring harness and power supply. Lights and monitor come on, but no sound or video.

I also dont know which way to plug the pin out to the PCB. The original way i had it was with the words and a blue dot facing out. That had the same picture on the monitor as it did before. When i put it the way it is in the picture, words facing wall, the picture turns orange instead of blue with some bars moving. And the little hum in the speaker changed and sounds a but different.


Maybe both the monitor and speaker are bad?

 

[Spyridon]

So much electrical tape..so little time.

Order the $20 power supply and harness from TNT as I mentioned above. It will save you a lot of time.

 

[Cpen5311]

Ya i took that one out and the original one back in. I emailed the guy to ask if i can return it. I also checked the voltages from the transformers on my original power supply and they came out good. I also took the speaker out and hooked it up inside my house and it works. So now i really don't know what it could be?

 

[ManiN]

The only reason I could see someone wanting to put that much electrical tape on is to hide a ton of splicing. To bad there's a lot more professional ways to clean up wiring with loom or spriral wrap...

Good luck with this, I'd make the seller aware of any problems you have and maybe you could make us aware of who not to buy from if this turns out crappy.

 

[Cpen5311]

starting to strip it, was going to take it down to bare wood to do stencils, but i don't know anymore after seeing this beautiful face...

 

[TheSilby]

Good luck will the paint strip. It would be really nice if you could save the artwork and I hope you can, but most have not been successful with this undertaking. It will almost surely have the worn spots near the monitor area from players resting there hands. I look forward to seeing how this comes out.

 

[Cpen5311]

Ok finally able to update after the weather has cleared up. The past few days i have gotten the paint off, bondo'd and primer'd. I am also getting stencils that should be here next week. Got a paint gun and the yellow paint, hopefully thursday or next week it should be painted. ...The next part might be bad news for some but i have thought it over and came to a conclusion. I am putting a 60 in 1 inside. Sorry lol but thats what i want.

EDIT: i am keeping the original harness and just getting an adapter from lizard lick, if that helps to not make me crazy haha. and i am also getting a new monitor that goes with the 60in1 : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400110365596&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Any reviews on this 60 in 1 board? : http://cgi.ebay.com/60-in-1-Classic...IC&otn=20&po=&ps=63&clkid=8872397794120258109

 

[Spyridon]

i am also getting a new monitor that goes with the 60in1 : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400110365596&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

That's an interesting monitor. Since it's just a VGA monitor, couldn't you have just used a computer monitor at a much cheaper price point? I guess it does save you the hassle of determining how to mount it.

Any reviews on this 60 in 1 board? : http://cgi.ebay.com/60-in-1-Classic-Jamma-Arcade-PCB-Board-pac-galaga-60-1_W0QQitemZ320508998506QQcategoryZ13718QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D20%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8872397794120258109

Head on over to the for sale section and order your 60 in 1 board from there.

 

[pmichelsen]

That's an interesting monitor. Since it's just a VGA monitor, couldn't you have just used a computer monitor at a much cheaper price point? I guess is does save you the hassle of determining how to mount it.

Yeah, that is just a regular computer monitor in a arcade frame at a really high price. I just dropped off one of those at the electronics recycler.

 

[Cpen5311]

so if i get a 19inch old computer monitor and a vga cable, it will work? and somehow take the old brackets off of the old pac and mount them on?