Thanks guys! Appreciate it. I'm hoping this weekend to get into the machine a little more. Between the end of the school year (I'm teacher), an almost 5 month old, finishing the basement, and mountain biking, time can be difficult to find.

Not to mention the project I will be picking up tomorrow...pictures to follow!

As inspired by John and then suggested to post here by the person on reddit.

http://imgur.com/a/Fck2c

He had this episode of a non-working Craigslist find for $50. I thought to myself, "With the power of the internet and everyone's skills combined, I can fix this machine!"

Thanks for the motivation John!

The plan for this machine is to get it up and running. Currently, it isn't working. The marquee turns on with the power, but that all I have noticed so far. I see some faint glows from the back of the monitor, but that's it. I haven't checked anything else yet. This game was grabbed at the request of my wife! It is the one game she would like for the basement, even though she is addicted to Space Invaders. Believe it or not, she said she would even help with this project too! How cute, a husband and wife project!

This will be my first game that goes from non-working to working (hopefully) project. Expect many posts from me after I've exhausted the Googles.

Side note: This cabinet fit in my wife's 2010 Subaru Forester. The front seats were a little tight but I managed the ride.

I finally got a few minutes to open the back and check everything out...Or at least poke around. Today I learned that you can pull the interlocking switch out and it will stay on vs. trying to keep holding it in to keep power going.

The marquee lights up and I hear static or noise coming from the monitor, but no picture. There is a tube in the back that has a faint glow...it looks like a light bulb that has been dimmed all of the way. It looks like it is the original monitor based on the 1982 date stamp I saw.

The power switch on the top has been cut so that is useless.

The power cord looks like it has been butchered and the ground prong is gone. That needs to be fixed. I was hoping I'd hear some sound but I don't know what the start up is like. I tried putting a couple of credits in but nothing happened. I didn't check the fuses but that's next when I have more time.

Man, I didn't realize how many forums John runs. I've found his NEACF forum, and now this!  John already know how I met him, he was there, at the bar, peering over my shoulder as I got the text from my wife that she beat my hi-score in Space Invaders.

Anyway, the latest thing that brings me here is a post on Reddit regarding the inspiration from his video regarding Craigslist finds. I've picked up a $50 non-working Ms. Pac-Man. It will become the project of husband and wife to get this thing running.

Currently in the garage, Final Lap (just needs the sound working and a spring for a steering wheel), Ms. Pac-Man (non-working), and probably a cocktail table that I came across. The cocktail table I have to pick up still after I call the guy back. I love me some cocktail tables...

In my collection in addition to those mentioned is a Capcom Avenger game and a Space Invader's cocktail table. It's a small collection but a bunch of fun. I'm going to have quite a few projects to work on in addition to finishing our basement to house these games.

Now for the pictures: