Right, first proper post. I’ve been meaning to start this for about two years and kept putting it off, mostly because I didn’t think anyone would want to read about a grown man arguing with a 40-year-old cabinet in his garage. But a few mates on the arcade forum said I should document the restores properly instead of just dumping photos in a Facebook group where they disappear after a week, so here we are.
Quick bit of background: I got hooked on this stuff after picking up a dead Galaga machine from a pub clearance about six years ago. Paid £40 for it because the landlord just wanted it gone. Took me four months of evenings to get it running properly and I was completely hooked the second the attract mode came up on a screen that had been dark for a decade. Since then it’s been a slow, expensive, deeply satisfying habit.
The plan for this site is pretty simple: write up each restoration as I go, the parts hunting, the inevitable mistakes, and the bits where I have to stop and google “is this wire supposed to be that colour.” No idea how regularly I’ll actually post – depends how much free time survives the day job – but there’s a Defender cabinet currently taking up half the garage that should keep me busy for a while.
If you’re into this stuff too, drop a comment. Always good to compare notes with people who understand why you’d spend a Saturday tracking down a single NOS marquee bulb.
Good to see another UK collector blogging about this. Following along, that Defender sounds like a proper project.