What Atari cab was this????

viewsonix

Member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
955
Reaction score
10
Location
Virginia
Ok, I picked up this Ikari Warriors game, and I looked inside to see what it was originally.
All the stickers inside were removed (poorly) and I found the remains of one that looks to say "Atari".

I love Atari games so I had a moment of silence for the original game that once used the cab.

Whoever did the conversion painted the sides of the cab with black paint (vinyl or what, I can't tell). However I can see the paint can be removed with a thumbnail on the corner, and after scratching for a few minutes I see what looks to be a white cabinet underneath.

So now I'm wondering if a nice Missile Command or other side art may be under this horrid paint.

From the picture below can anyone narrow down what cab this may have been?
And tips on how to remove this paint as gently as possible would be appreciated too.
I know that not knowing the type of paint makes that difficult, but for now I'm going to stay with the thumbnail method until someone yells.
 

Attachments

  • ikside.jpg
    ikside.jpg
    42.5 KB · Views: 93
Without seeing the coin door area......it was a Centipede, Arabian, Kangaroo, or Dig Dug.

Edward
 
Without seeing the coin door area......it was a Centipede, Arabian, Kangaroo, or Dig Dug.

Edward

I think you're on it, I looked at the pics on KLOV and it has the single wide door like on the Centipede machine.
I'm hoping I can get the artwork back, most of those had great artwork on them.

I never even heard of Arabian before, that one was a surprise!
 
I think you're on it, I looked at the pics on KLOV and it has the single wide door like on the Centipede machine.
I'm hoping I can get the artwork back, most of those had great artwork on them.

I never even heard of Arabian before, that one was a surprise!

Sounds like a Centipede. Arabian had an over/under coin door.

Edward
 
3M Safest Stripper - bought at Home Depot
cleaned up remaining with Acetone

Atari sideart is very tough.

3877576545_31cbb552e8.jpg

3878370776_3208477f59.jpg

3877576637_92435a777d_z.jpg

387
 
Centipede and Dig dug cabinets are different, yours looks like a Centipede:

AtariCabs.gif
 
I don't think that's entirely complete. I have an Atari cab that's not on there. I'm fairly certain it's Atari, as it has an Atari PS in the bottom.
 
I don't think that's entirely complete. I have an Atari cab that's not on there. I'm fairly certain it's Atari, as it has an Atari PS in the bottom.

You are right, it is not complete. Call it a work in progress. :)

I know of several that are not there, not to mention all the pre-Lunar Lander cabinets.

What cabinet do you have that is not on the chart?
 
You are right, it is not complete. Call it a work in progress. :)

I know of several that are not there, not to mention all the pre-Lunar Lander cabinets.

What cabinet do you have that is not on the chart?

The green cab in the 1st post of this thread. It has an Atari PS, a fold down CP, and the marquee seems to be made to hold smaller size translites. The outside of the cab is covered in green vinyl. I don't think this cab was made for Big Event Golf. No one was able to idenitfy it, other than a possible generic.

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=150847
 
The green cab in the 1st post of this thread. It has an Atari PS, a fold down CP, and the marquee seems to be made to hold smaller size translites. The outside of the cab is covered in green vinyl. I don't think this cab was made for Big Event Golf. No one was able to idenitfy it, other than a possible generic.

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=150847

That was a Liberator cabinet with cut sides and a repositioned monitor. The profile is the same.

Supposedly Atari made a batch of original or prototype Liberators with that shape but ended up using the design with full sides, possibly so they could better fit the side art. I have seen that cabinet design before, but have not included it on the chart due to lack of any definitive information about it.

There are a few other Atari cabinets that share the same profile with the exception of the cutouts. I believe Centipede, Asteroids Deluxe and Warlords all have the same basic profile.
 
That was a Liberator cabinet with cut sides and a repositioned monitor. The profile is the same.

Supposedly Atari made a batch of original or prototype Liberators with that shape but ended up using the design with full sides, possibly so they could better fit the side art. I have seen that cabinet design before, but have not included it on the chart due to lack of any definitive information about it.

There are a few other Atari cabinets that share the same profile with the exception of the cutouts. I believe Centipede, Asteroids Deluxe and Warlords all have the same basic profile.


Yeah it's definitely a factory job. The vinyl on the sides, while cut well, is actually composed of 2 pieces. Liberator seems to come the close, because the marquee area tilts upward: a trait the AD, Centipede, & Warlords do not share.
 
Yeah it's definitely a factory job. The vinyl on the sides, while cut well, is actually composed of 2 pieces. Liberator seems to come the close, because the marquee area tilts upward: a trait the AD, Centipede, & Warlords do not share.


I don't think you get what everyone is saying. The green cab that you picked up was indeed at one point a Liberator. Liberator (and that cab) were made in 1982. Liberator was not a big money maker for the operators back in the day. In 1986, the operator was looking to improve his income with the Liberator cab, and decided to convert the cab to Big Event Golf (Big Event Golf was a kit game only, no dedicated cabinet). In doing so, he "hacked" the sides back and re-angled the monitor to give the player room to use a trackball controller (and not hit the damn monitor) while playing the golf game. Some ops slapped kits together while others took a little more time. I would be willing to bet that if you removed the green vinyl, you would probably find remnants of the old Liberator sideart underneath.

As far as what Technopope was saying about AD, Centipede, and Warlords, that was a completely independent conversation separate of your cab, in regards to that fact that those 3 cabs have the same basic exterior profile other the the front.
 
Last edited:
I don't think you get what everyone is saying. The green cab that you picked up was indeed at one point a Liberator.

Is it me, or are you being a little condescending? When you say "everyone," you mean just you. It's a pretty open ended comment.

I don't see how the below quote says anything definitive. He says that the proto cabs were originally made like this. Any then he says that multiple cabs have been found like this, but there's no definitive information. That could mean, these are the prototypes, could it not? Is it possible that it could have been a factory reworking from a liberator into a generic cab and then sold off? The cab doesn't look like a operator job, it looks like it was machine cut. Does one often machine cut fully assembled cabs? Both cuts are identical in angle.

In fact, in the other thread, someone speculates that this isn't a one off operator job, because this cab has been spotted before in different areas.

That was a Liberator cabinet with cut sides and a repositioned monitor. The profile is the same.

Supposedly Atari made a batch of original or prototype Liberators with that shape but ended up using the design with full sides, possibly so they could better fit the side art. I have seen that cabinet design before, but have not included it on the chart due to lack of any definitive information about it.

After peeling back a section of the vinyl, there seems to be no art underneath, just rough particle board. Since we're all really just speculating... it looks like a factory re-appropriated design, that was never actually an on-route liberator.
 
Last edited:
Is it me, or are you being a little condescending? When you say "everyone," you mean just you. It's a pretty open ended comment.

I don't see how the below quote says anything definitive. He says that the proto cabs were originally made like this. Any then he says that multiple cabs have been found like this, but there's no definitive information. That could mean, these are the prototypes, could it not? Is it possible that it could have been a factory reworking from a liberator into a generic cab and then sold off? The cab doesn't look like a operator job, it looks like it was machine cut. Does one often machine cut fully assembled cabs? Both cuts are identical in angle.

In fact, in the other thread, someone speculates that this isn't a one off operator job, because this cab has been spotted before in different areas.



After peeling back a section of the vinyl, there seems to be no art underneath, just rough particle board. Since we're all really just speculating... it looks like a factory re-appropriated design, that was never actually an on-route liberator.

It seems in that time frame it wasn't uncommon for "factory" games to show up in unsold/unused cabs for other games, even from other companies. I used to have a dedicated Crown's Golf that was in a Cliff Hanger cab with a factory made front with centered coin door (still had the lower shelf for the laser disc, but the compartment was inaccessible and the pink and dark blue paint were under the baby blue).

I've seen several dedicated Birdie King (3?) games in those Liberator cabs.
 
I don't see Pac-Mania listed, but that Dragon Sprit sure looks the same. Do those games share a common cabinet?

Yes, Pac-Mania, Dragon Spirit and Galaga 88 all used the same cabinet shape.

Thanks, I don't know how those two got left off, I'll have to add them!
 
Back
Top Bottom