Valentines Day Acquisition: TEMPEST

[shardian]

I can't believe wifey went along on Valentine's day. You must have cooked up one hell of a Valentine's Day sausage surprise breakfast.

If I even off-hand contemplated picking up a game on Valentine's day, my wife would have given ME an imitation sausage surprise breakfast...

 

[cleverlyj]

She was a trooper I can tell you. Not only did she agree to go with me to pick it up, on St. Valentine's Day, she also took one for the team. While she was laying all the seats down in our Acadia for me, one of the spring loaded seat backs came back and nailed her in the face with a right cross. She was out of it all the way to Klam's place. Her silence was only broken by 3 second repeated bursts of uncontrollable laughter when she realized what she had done to herself. Awesome.

nice pickup, phet! tempest totally rocks. totally cool that the wife went along on V-day, too. my wife has an acadia as well. holds games very nicely!

 

[Phetishboy]

I can't believe wifey went along on Valentine's day. You must have cooked up one hell of a Valentine's Day sausage surprise breakfast.

If I even off-hand contemplated picking up a game on Valentine's day, my wife would have given ME an imitation sausage surprise breakfast...

Is Frizz your wife? Scary. Though by this time it shouldn't really 'surprise' you anymore.

 

[jeffklam]

I was glad to be a part of this, but almost didn't want to give it up as it has the purple graphics on the side art and mine doesn't. Must be an early/late Tempest thing. Mine is a pretty low serial #.

 

[Phetishboy]

I was glad to be a part of this, but almost didn't want to give it up as it has the purple graphics on the side art and mine doesn't. Must be an early/late Tempest thing. Mine is a pretty low serial #.

What up Jeff. Thanks again, and hold onto that Gorgar for me.

 

[Teknotoyz]

I had a line on one about 14 miles from me a little over 3 years ago. Dude wanted $450, and the top of the cab looked like it had been attacked by a Great White Shark. When he went to turn the machine on, nothing happened. He tried and tried, but nothing. He said sorry, I'll see if I can fix it. 3 days later he calls me, but I just didn't feel confident in the machine, so I passed. I have been mildly seeking a decent one ever since. About a month ago, I started to get more active about it. 2 weeks ago, I saw one on MPLS CL for 2 bills, but after contacting the seller, found out that I was the 2nd in line. Unbeknownst to me, 1st in line was an acquaintance of mine and fellow KLOVer, Jeff Klam. He contacted me after he picked it up as he saw I was interested in it. We agreed on a price and I picked it up with my lovely wife yesterday. Serial # 11762. Monitor looks awesome, cab is in great shape, though the marquee is trashed on the top. Game is clean inside and out, this one will just get a sanitizing, a new spinner knob, a new marquee overlay and 2 new Pokeys to fix the spinner and plyr 1/plyr 2 issues. I assume I should rebuild the ARII and the 6100, but for now, I'm gonna just clean it up and enjoy it. I'm pretty stoked:

OK... I'm a Joust fanatic right now, nice Tempest BTW, but what condition is the Joust in?

 

[jeffklam]

I just got back from a place in Stillwater that had another working Tempest (and non-working Defender). The cabinet sucked, control panel was crap, monitor needed a rebuild, and she wouldn't budge on her $500 price. I told her I couldn't go above $200. It may be on Craigslist soon if she doesn't call me back.... It's surprising how you think you've seen the last of them and they just keep coming.

 

[alejandromad]

Well ... now I know where it went. I hit the guy up right after it popped on CL... not expecting to have a shot... (had to email because he did not include a phone number in his post)

-------------------------------
From: Allen Wood [mailtohotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 30, 2010 4:32 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Atari Tempest - Full size upright arcade game - $200 $St. Louis Park$

If this is still available.. I would love to have it.
Please let me know.

regards,
Allen Wood
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/vgm/1578383575.html
----------------

Then my lady and I head out for the evening. The next evening I remember "shit... I wonder if that guy replied"... so I check my email...


----------------
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Atari Tempest - Full size upright arcade game - $200 $St. Louis Park$
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:46:27 -0600

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

Hi Allen – still available!
Please call 952-915-xxxx if interested.

-----------------------

of course... long gone at that point (Sunday night). He replied to my original email in 15 minutes but I was already offline. :-(

Just as well... I already have 2 of them... I was being greedy.

I have stumbled across several of them here in the twin cities. One was only 2 blocks away from my house. I was working on a cabinet in the driveway, a lady stops and asks if I buy them. She says there's one in their basement that as her sons an they would like to sell it. Doesn't know what game it is. I go over there a week later and it's a lovely Tempest.

Congrats Phet. I'm glad you found a game you were looking for.

 

[Phetishboy]

It was the 2 pokeys. Replaced them tonight, and had 1 &2 player start and full control of the spinner. I cleaned up the bezel, cleaned the glass, monitor and CPO, washed the inside a bit, put new adhesive foam onto the bottom of the glass to cushion the cp, and put up my first high score. This game is so much fun.

 

[modessitt]

Comments:

1) In one pic it looks like GAME OVER and PRESS START are overlapped, but that might be an alternating image that got captured in mid-change by the camera. if not, you need to adjust your pots on the game board to give yourself some separation there.

2) "SEX" - really? Why am I not surprised?

3) You need to quit taking your camera to the truck stop. Too much splatter on the lenses.

4) Okay, looks good, now pretty that cab up! Get that tax sticker residue off. Is the marquee light working? You need one of those Atari pricing stickers on the coin door. Both mine have them and they look great...

 

[cleverlyj]

12k?!?!?! c'mon, now, three frizz e bear ssssuper sssundaes says you got that score playing one handed. once you get into the red levels 13-?? it really starts to speed up. nice acadia, too. my wife's is the same color.

 

[jeffklam]

Looking good!