Sears Video Arcade II (Atari 2800-Japan) Restoration
I found a console only buy-it-now listing on eBay for $35 as an "untested for parts or repair only" and thought I'd get it for just the case shell to install a 7800 into it for what I think is a much classier and ageless aesthetic style case to the NTSC or PAL 7800 case styles. I thought this was the perfect candidate with a case in good, if grungy, condition. And when I opened her up, it was far worse looking on the inside with Mud Wasp nests and a good amount of rust all over the shielding and circuit board where the shielding is.
I purchased the controller separately for $20, to go with it planning to mod it into a 7800 compatible 2-button controller. I have a proper power supply already.
But for posterity I wanted to make sure that this was a board only good for some salvage, making the case free to me for hacking and modifying. Well, after thoroughly cleaning, first removing the mud nests and then using glass cleaner and a toothbrush I started scrubbing the case and motherboard inside and out, twice. Then I did the same thing again a third time on the motherboard, but with 97% Isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush. I started to realize it was cleaning up quite nicely and !this might even be a working machine that I can restore to like-new working condition!
So my hacking and modifying the SVA2 case and a 7800 motherboard into a custom system is on hold indefinitely as I feel now I can have a pristine working Video Arcade II that I've saved instead of salvaged, something I feel my obligation to do if I can, as these vintage legacies become more and more rare because nobody bother to save them. I think this one made it out alive barely, being found, and by chance sold to the right type of person to save it.
Though it's all cleaned up now and ready to be tested to see if it's working, while cleaning the oscillator crystal broke off, I think it was about to go and my brush finished the job. But I need to replace the crystal now before I can test it and either start trouble-shooting if it doesn't work, or possibly wrapping this one up quickly as refurbish rather than full restoration. Since this baby, now that it's cleaned, is in excellent condition and really doesn't need any real "restoration" It was in a bad place and got all kinds of dirt and mud in every crevasse and rust build up around the shielding probably due to highly humid storage conditions.
Obviously was in excellent condition when it was first shoved where ever it was shoved, mostly likely a storage shed from the condition of it. And the neglect and storage conditions though purely inadequate, did keep it out of the way and from being physically damaged and to be a Diamond-in-the-rough. For $35 and a bit of elbow grease, I think I've got myself a console in excellent condition, worthy of display in a collection in full working order.
The first set of pictures below are "before" shots the second set are "after" shot once I cleaned it all up.
Before:
During cleaning process:
motherboard- 97% Isopropyl Alcohol used with a tooth brush. Cartridge slot- WD-40 used with PCB & microfiber cloth. Cart port cover repair- Loctite Superglue. RF shielding- Dremel with wire brush.
After cleaning:
Sears Video Arcade II case inside and out and console keys- Glass cleaner, toothbrush, cotton rag
Final finish restoration to plastic case (outer)- WD-40 rub down and wipe off. Full dissipation in 24 hours to original plastic sheen and luster.
Repair required: replace Oscillator crystal with broken "leg."
No photos yet
Final destination: On the Wall of Consoles (work in progress) below the Atari VCS and next to the Atari 7800.
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