1976 Williams Grand Prix

I added something completely different to my collection this week - a pinball machine! The game is one of the last electromechanical pinball machines made before they switched over to electronics. The game is in very good condition and plays great!

1980 Stern Berzerk

I recently pulled Berzerk out of storage and sent it to the Repair Station. The game has seven different boards that are proving very difficult to analyze. As with most Berzerk’s, the main game board was severely damaged by acid that had leaked from the onboard battery. Despite all that, I am confident the game can be repaired – I will not “‘run like a humanoid” on this one!

Party Like It's 1977

I repaired Gun Fight and put it in the arcade. You can read the Repair Log here. I remember playing Gun Fight in the 1970's and had not played it for over 30 years! Gun Fight was made in 1975 so I thought it was fitting that I put it next to my 1976 Lemans. If you want to learn more about Gun Fight as well as see the game in action, please click here.

1975 Midway Gun Fight

I recently acquired a 1975 Midway Gun Fight. Gun Fight is one of the first video games I remember playing so I was very pleased to obtain one. Gun Fight is historically important, as it is the first video game to use a microprocessor. It is also the first video game to feature two human figures battling against each other. Other games of the time featured lines or squares. The game does not work and has been sent to the Repair Station for diagnosis.

1973 Williams Paddle-Ball

I fixed Paddle-Ball and put it in the arcade. You can read the Repair Log here. Paddle-Ball is Williams first video game and only a few are known to still exist. My Paddle-Ball is serial number 1964-1. The only other one that I know of is serial number 614 which is owned by a gentleman in Wilmington, Delaware. You can read about that machine here. If you have a Paddle-Ball or any information about Paddle-Ball, please contact me!

1980 Midway Pac-Man

This past year I had the opportunity to procure several very special arcade games from the daughter of the original owners. You can read the story of the games here. Among the games I acquired was the game - Pac-Man! Last week I had a chance to pull the game out of storage and send it to the Repair Station for diagnosis.

1975 Fascination

I recently acquired an old Pong clone cocktail made by Fascination Ltd. Not much is known about the game and what is known comes from the few flyers that exist. I doubt there were too many arcade games wrapped in vinyl but I now own one! The game uses a 12" Hitachi TV for a monitor and appears to be for 2 or 4 players. Anyways...it is not working but appears to have a very simple PCB that I can hopefully repair. The game has been sent to the Repair Station for diagnosis.

1976 Atari Lemans

I finally had a chance to put a game in the newly finished room! I remember playing Lemans quite a bit as a kid as was thrilled to finally acquire one this past summer. When I purchased the game it was completely dead and in need of total restoration. You can read the repair log here. If you want to learn more about Lemans as well as see the game in action, please click here.

Let There Be Black Light!

The black lights have been installed. I put four fixtures in the new room and the effect is outstanding!

Change?

You can't have an arcade without quarters so the first thing I installed was this vintage Ardac change machine. The machine works perfectly and accepts one or five dollar bills. The unit is mounted on a small file cabinet which I use to store the keys to the games, manuals and other arcade related paperwork. If you wish to learn more about the change machine as well as see a short video of it in action, please click here.

Carpet

Carpet installation is complete! Room transformation is almost complete as well. Over the next few weeks I will begin to move some of the games in...can't wait!

Ceiling

The final step before having the carpet installed is done! The ceiling took approximately 3.5 hours to complete. I remembered all the time savers from the earlier ceiling install and they proved to be a big help. Finally, a nice and clean looking room! The carpet guys will be coming early tomorrow morning. The games currently in "winter storage" are looking forward to their new and much warmer environment!

Trim

Unexpectedly, the carpet installers informed me that they are coming this Saturday so the pressure is on! I have completed the baseboard and chair rail molding as well as the doorway and radiator trim. All nails have been patched and painted over. I have one day, Friday, to complete the entire ceiling! Wish me luck!

Look Up!

Well...maybe look down for now. I measured the ceiling and figured out the amount of material required. The pile represents all the trim needed for the room as well as the material for the ceiling. I went with the direct mount 'CeilingMAX' system because my basement has a very low ceiling.

Blue And Orange Too!

Two coats of paint have been applied and the room is starting to take shape. Black light carpet has been ordered and should arrive in about two weeks. The addition of chair rail molding along with trim work around the doorways and radiator is next.

Primer

Three coats of mud have been completed. The walls were sanded to make everything smooth and now a coat of primer has been applied. The next step is to mix up some color and get rid of the hospital appearance. The midnight oil is burning....

Bonus Area!

I decided to expand the second arcade room into a small area located next to the stairway. By measuring, it appears that I can fit an additional three or four games in this space!

Mud and Tape

The first coat of mud and tape is complete. I plan on doing two additional coats. I also sanded the radiatior and put on a quick coat of primer. Nothing beats watching mud dry...except for paint!

Taking Shape!

I started hanging the drywall. I am doing 1/2 sheets due to the difficulty of carrying a full sheet down my tight stairway. I'll cover the seam with chair rail molding just like in the other room.

Drywall

I picked up the drywall for the arcade today. The composition of drywall must be changing as I get older as I believe the sheets are now made out of lead! Carrying two sheets around at a time is but a distant memory for me.