I got this game ages ago and have had it stored for about 4 years.
I finally dragged it out today with the intention of doing a "Smithsonian" restore on it.. similar to what i did with the 1937 Stoner RICOCHET.
Well it would seem that ive had this tucked away for so long that i had developed rose tinted glasses...all this time ive been looking at the cabinet side art and playfield, which are pretty presentable.
I had decided to restore this machine to a tidy 35 year old game and touch up the cabinet where necessary using matching paints to the original old artwork.
I have a donor cab that i HAD intended using, but today, i decided not to.
CAPT FANT is here in my little workshop.. donor cab is the NIGHTRIDER shoved down the side..LOL
The top of the header for Capt fant is missing.. game had been dropped at some point breaking this and smashing the glass.
I pulled the top off the Nightrider and attached it to Capt fant..
A quick spray of this in CF colours and im laughing!!!
I then pinched the header mount.. reglued it and attached this..
.
All ready to go... and so out comes the cabinet... now i remembered that the game was dirty... dirty i said... what i didnt remember was this!
Water damaged back...
MUD GALORE!!!!!!!
Inside the game also stinks... stagnant water and crud.. bloody horrible!
So now i have a rethink... this games a POS im thinking... what to do... what to do???
I have a spare bottom board too from good old Night Rider... can pinch stuff off here as Capt Fant is USA model and has a friggin ugly stepdown attached to the back ( which has been bypassed to a rotten 240V cable..
Looks like im back to where i started... COMPLETE restore using donor cab and restencilling... replace parts ive stolen and start again.
I lift the bottom board out to stick it outside.. smell is awful.. as i do this, the bottom of the cabinet just gives way with rot.
Guess that confirms it then i think??
Im not sure how to clean a mud encrusted bottom board from an EM.. never had to before... all that craps got to come off.
Im not going to do anything fancy here... ill spray liberally with Sugar Soap.. allow to eat into the dirt.. then high pressure wash it down... rinse with Meths and then blow dry with the compressor and leave in the sun for an hour.
The PF on this is actually very good, but i have a repro i bought from Ebay... was meant to be a first but it isnt.. its a 2nd... mmmmmmmm.. i wonder who would do a thing like that???
Anyway..... CAPTAIN FANTASTIC restore started ( i also started a BALLY HIGH DEAL today as well...lol)...
.. stay tuned.. im sure ill finish it one day!
