MVS 6 slot cabinet control panel question. Prototype cabinet?

[Fygee]

I'm working on restoring my six slot big red, and noticed something really peculiar. The holes in the metal part of the control panel look to be off, with some of them missing. The old CPO artwork had two holes drilled on the side so it would attach to the holes in the metal, and jutted out of the bottom with about an inch of space on top.

Got a repro CPO from Szabos arcades and, naturally, it doesn't fit because of this. The old one didn't either.

Has anyone else seen a 6 slot control panel with this issue? As far as I can tell it's a completely original piece, but it just seems odd to keep that it would come from the factory that way. Just paid a bunch of money to get it professionally powder coated too.

Attached is a picture of the old CPO, and the new one on the metal.

[Fygee]

Perhaps it might be a prototype or a first release? Note the similarity between the old side art it had, and the original Neo-Geo promo cab from 1990. The holes on the CPO also match the placement on mine.

[kidchameleon1]

I'm not sure they had 'prototype' cabs? They just had plans and commissioned a manufacturer to produce them afaik

[Fygee]

Question is then, why do the cab in the flier and my cabinet look exactly alike, whereas all the other 6 slots I've ever seen conform to the design of the other v3 big reds?

[defalt]

Oooh, something interesting is happening there.
Can you find any date codes? Is the 6-slot original, if it is, can you see any "old" date codes? What does the BIOS look like?

[Fygee]

I'm not seeing anything with date codes written on the inside of the cab. There's these numbers written in the top above the serial sticker though. I think they may just be written there from the Able Amusement vendor. IMG_2721.jpg

Cab is definitely original. BIOS looks like a regular US one to me. Is there anything in the BIOS I can look for that might be different?

[Fygee]

Took apart the coin mech to do some repairs and saw this dated label. Another indicator it's a very early model, assuming the coin mech that it came with is original to it.

Also, one thing I forgot to mention, the credit button is bigger and red, and entering the BIOS is done with a switch rather than a button. Is that common to 6-slot cabs, or another indicator of it being different? Definitely different from my 4-slot rev 3 cab.

received_2590060934615780.jpeg20200418_152740.jpg

[defalt]

I don't know anything about cabs, there are pretty much none like this here in France. February 1990 is extremely early. I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the first one made, but I can't find any precise launching date for these cabs.

[Fygee]

If Wikipedia is accurate, August 22, 1990 in North America.

[defalt]

There you have your proto It would be even better if it had the original board in... white SNK sticker-ed EPROM BIOS...

[Fygee]

I'll have a look. Was going to plonk a Universe BIOS chip into it anyways, so I'll let you know.

I'll also take pictures of the boards just in case there's anything else that's curious about it.

[MoriyaMinakata]

I don't think the coin mech is really indicative of much.
Coin mechs aren't unique to the MVS and could have been replaced or just been sitting in a warehouse before going out (maybe both?).

[Fygee]

Definitely possible. In 30 years of time, who knows where that coin mech could have originated from.

That said, if it was something that was in a warehouse and was put into the machine for service, I would think they'd cycle out enough inventory to not have too many older coin mechs laying around with that date. All we can do is speculate, but when considering everything else with the machine, it's an interesting clue nonetheless.

Found out the monitor isn't original to it while getting it re-capped. It came from a Golden Tee cab.

[Fygee]

Here's a picture of the BIOS chip. Hope this helps.

[Fygee]

Here's a closeup pic. Looks like an EPROM chip with the circle in the middle under the label.

Also, another weirdo thing. The top has no wooden back to mount the EL panels or marquee card holder.

There's slits on the side that the panels and card holder slide into. The EL panels are taped together to stay in place.

Was about to mod it with an LED kit, but thats a non-starter with no backing board. Will need to make one.