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Defender Cocktail Project

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I just purchased this converted Defender cocktail from a local collector.

I've always wanted to see a Williams style cocktail cabinet, and now I have one!

I don't know much about Williams cocktails at this point, so it's off to the rec.games.video.arcade.collecting newsgroup and Google to do some research into what it will need to be restored.

It might cost more to restore than the value of the completed cabinet, but that's why it's a hobby and not a business!

This side of the cabinet has had the original wood grain laminate removed, and contact paper applied. I'm guessing the original laminate was damaged, and the repair was done with the cheaper material.

If the monitor hole looks small it's because the Defender and Stargate cocktails use a 13" monitor. The Robotron cocktails used a 19".

I just got the machine home tonight, and haven't had time to empty it out or do much detective work. You can see that there is no monitor, and the board is from the trivia game.

A peek at the corner of the control panel shows what looks like the original Defender CPO peeking through. What are the odds that I can just remove the trivia CPO and reveal a nice original Defender?

I don't have a heat gun, so I'll try a hairdryer to see if I can pull off the trivia CPO.
Here's an interesting shot of a Defender control panel and my panel. Sure looks like they re-used the original Defender button holes!

The cabinet has been moved into the house, and the teardown has begun!
This is what the inside of the cabinet looked like when I got it home. The trivia game in it is dated 1985, and I have no idea if it works or not, in fact I don't even care as I don't even plan on trying it.

Ouch! Someone added a wood strip and some screws to the bottom of the panel, and cut off 1/8" of the end bracket. This has the effect of raising the panel height.

I could problably fix these, but I'm working on a deal for a good set. I might set these aside for emergency spares.

The back of the coin doors shows hacked wiring, missing leaf switches for the P1 and P2 start buttons and a missing light bulb socket to illuminate the P2 graphic.

I'm pretty sure I have some leaf springs, but I'll have to check the manual and/or pictures of other peoples cabinets to see how the wiring should be setup.

I have removed the two question mark stickers that were covering the P1 and P2 lights. The door is in pretty good shape other than the missing coin return flap and bezel. It also needs a new plastic reject button. I should be able to find these without too much trouble.

At this time I plan on leaving the old license tabs on the door, as well as the 'no Canadian coins' sticker. It just adds to the 'retro' look!

Now I've removed all the trivia parts and hacked original wires. There were more spliced wires in this cabinet than I've ever seen before.

The metal mounts for the power and sound boards are intact. This makes a nice clean starting point for the installation of original parts.

Here's a closeup of the transformer. None of the wires are hacked, and it cleaned up nicely. I was also able to save the on/off switch and the monitor power wires.

Notice the burn mark near where the power cord comes in. I think that's where the fuses go.

Let the rebuild commence!

I found a really nice rebuilt 13" monitor locally. The monitor mounts weren't the same as the original, so I had to make some out of aluminum angle iron.
Here I've stripped off the wood grain contact paper, and am removing the adhesive.
After removal of the adhesive, and sanding with an orbital sander using 220 grit paper. Now I have to buy some new laminate, glue it on and route it flush with the cab.
I've purchased a pair of control panels. Note that one has water damage to the back. The bulb holders and the joystick assembly are rusted. I might take the panel apart and sand it and the parts.
I've loosly run the wiring harness. the left side is fine, but the right is a bit of a jumble. I think I'll have to wait until I put the boards in to see the best way to route the wires.
Close up of the right side. You can see the test switches, interlock and volume control. I can't quite figure out how to route the wires, as I haven't found any pictures of other cabinets from this angle.

The coin door has been rewired. I didn't have quite enough of the yellow wire that goes to the lamps, so I used some red wire near the bottom.

I was able to find the correct colors for the rest of the switches. I also bought the proper 9 pin molex connector to plug the door into the rest of the wiring harness.

Laminate replacement. I was really nervous about this, but it turned out great!

Some damage to the bottom that needs to be repaired before I put on the laminate. Also note the cabinet feet. I've never seen this type of foot used on a cab before, and they are all screwed right up to the bottom. The wood of the cab sits on the ground, so I want to do something about that to keep the new laminate from scraping the ground.
Wood putty applied to level out the damaged area.
Laminate applied to the cab. I took the cab outside to brush on the glue, and let it start to set up. It was colder than the recommended temperature outside, so I brought it back in once the majority of the fumes had dissipated.
The laminate sheet is 30" x 29". Due to the shape of the cabinet there's quite a bit of overlap, as you can see here.
My first try at using a laminate bit went great, the cabinet looks fantastic! I've read that you should use a file after cutting the laminate to finish the edges, so I'll look into that - although the edges look pretty good as is.
Here's the original laminate top sitting next to the new side laminate. The original grain isn't quite as "tight" as the new Wilsonart "Montana Walnut", and it's just a hair darker. Since you can't get the original stuff anymore, I'm very happy with how the new laminate worked out.
I have now completely assembled the electronics. I installed a switching power supply, as I had one on hand and the person I bought the boards from was also using one.
For the first time in over twenty years, it's a Defender again!
Right side of the cabinet.