MVS cabinet restoration questions

Dellamorte

n00b
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Posts
2
Hi Neo-Geo folks! So I just purchased an MVS 4 slotter from my local area from someone who'd started a restoration project and never really finished it.

First off here's a full view of the front of the machine:
Front.jpg

Overall it's in decent-ish shape. There's a few small bumps and scrapes here and there, but the buttons all work and (once the repairs on the board are finished soon-ish) everything will be fine internally.

I think the first thing I'm going to try to fix/change will be the marquee, since it's a single light marquee and I'd like to have a proper 4 slotter one that'll game selection. The inside of the marquee looks like this:
Marquee.jpg

First question: Where the heck can I find a replacement/swap for the parts in this thing and are they easy to swap around?

Next up are the side panels. They look absolutely terrible. They're apparently from some other arcade cabinet and they've been modified to look like Neo Geo panels since they're the same dimensions. Problem is - the previous owner didn't really sand them. Here's the left one:
Side1.jpg

It has vinyl Neo Geo logos applied over super uneven sanding work.

The other side doesn't have any Neo Geo logos. Here's a close-up of the right hand side to illustrate how terrible the sanding job must've been (if there even was one at all):
Side2.jpg

Yikes.

Anyway, my next question is how the heck can I remove these panels so that I can sand them down? Unfortunately I don't live in a place where I can move this cabinet around all the time and I'd prefer not to have to sand this stuff down inside. I scoped out the inside and I didn't see any screws or latches for these things, but there's got to be a way to remove them, right?

And lastly, once I finish the side panels and get new vinyl logos applied to them I'm going to replace the red t-molding with the proper black t-molding.

Anyway, sorry if this is the wrong sub-forum for this, I'm obviously pretty new. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

NewNeoOwner

Quiz Detective
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Posts
88
The light can be whatever you want. Could get a new bulb, looks like a normal 2 pin style. You could go to Home Depot and get a fluorescent kitchen light (like an under-cabinet style) and run the plug out the back. You could try a strip of LED's too but I don't know if that would work with the current wiring.

The sides, no you're probably going to have to deal with it as-is. The screw heads were probably filled in or covered and you'd do more damage to the cabinet looking for them. I refurbished a generic cabinet years ago and worked on it in the driveway before bringing it inside. Some screws were crooked and visible, the rest weren't. Of course it was in worse shape than what you have.

Honestly you'll spend more time looking at the front than the sides. It's already in pretty good shape. Be careful you don't make a mess of it trying to make it perfect.
 

Tanooki

War Room Troll
Joined
May 24, 2016
Posts
1,745
I'd have to agree. Don't mess with the sides, might even seem terrible suggesting it given your personal feelings but if you could get a matching set just apply the art on the other side too as I'd get OCD about that. The lighting though, that's up to choice, and if you can find the parts to get four lights going like an original would have done if it were installed go for it, otherwise I'd leave it be if the light in there already lights up well and evenly.
 

Dellamorte

n00b
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Posts
2
Hey, thanks for the insight guys, I seriously appreciate it.

So I guess my plan (for now) is to find another set of vinyl tags for the right hand side panel. Can anyone recommend a good site where I can buy vinyl decals for the side panel and/or cards for the marquee display?
 

NewNeoOwner

Quiz Detective
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Posts
88
Hey, thanks for the insight guys, I seriously appreciate it.

So I guess my plan (for now) is to find another set of vinyl tags for the right hand side panel. Can anyone recommend a good site where I can buy vinyl decals for the side panel and/or cards for the marquee display?

You can still try to sand them a little but you'll have to work on it inside. Spread a tarp maybe? Or you could cheat with a sightly textured paint. Oh, you want decals though so that won't work.
 
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