So the DK jr cab got sold. Unfortunately not to me. Which makes me really sad now.

Final price was 475 € without shipping (about 650 Dollars!), which was too high for my budget, also considering the work and parts that would have had to be invested.
Seems like I need to keep looking for another chance to finally start a real arcade cabinet restoration project.

Took a trip down the Autobahn today to check out the cab. Well, that monitor is really really dark and dim. The red tint is obvious and I'm not sure just how bad of a symptom that is. The rest of the cab seems ok. Some damages to the wood and the paint. T-Molding seems a bit beaten down.
Control board seems a mess and might have been converted from the original DK jr.

I made a little video so you guys can take a closer look if you're interested. Hope you enjoy it!
http://youtu.be/NkaTNpdawTU?t=50s

ok guys, I think I'm gonna take a little road trip tomorrow and check that cab out. It's a three hour trip, but I want to see that thing in action.

Any hints on what I need to pay attention to the most? Of course I want to get a closer look at that monitor when the game is running. If the guy selling it is cool with it I will share some more pics or a video maybe.

You guys have been great already. I feel like I'm not alone in this

An original Sanyo must count for something, right. In the offer it says the monitor has a red tint. But I hope that could be worked out.
Man, I am still unsure whether this cab in this condition is worth the money.

Hey man, thanks for the hint with the Dragons Lair forums and the Eurocade! I wasn't aware of that and will surely check it out.

Now concerning the ban, back in 1985 Germany (and we are talking about the western part) was having some updated legal restrictions for youth protection. Back then this meant, that video arcade machines were no longer allowed to be operated in public places like restaurants, gas stations, bowling alleys or malls. Only way to do that was to have the game officially cleared from an authority to be suitable for children of the age of 6 and have that displayed on the machine.
So only 18+ restricted gambling halls were able to display them with no hassle. But of course the slot machines made much more revenue on the same space. So operators of those halls thought twice about setting up a new arcade machine or a slot machine.

Growing up I have never seen a true arcade anywhere in Germany. Denmark had some though. I remember summer locations NOT spent on the beach ;)

The last place I knew in Hamburg that had some machines (newer ones mostly, like Ghost Squad) was the Vegas World located on the red light district Reeperbahn. But they cleared out their last machines in 2008 or so. Now there's only slot machines as well.

Hey John, thanks for the quick response! The price of that cab would be little above 470 dollars right now, which seems steep compared to your 50 dollar steal
But also pricey considering I would need to get the DK jr PCB, marquee, control panel, side art etc. as well.

Can you say something about the monitor? Could that still be an original Nintendo?

Hey guys, I need your help please.

For me, living in Germany, it is hard if not impossible to find arcade cabinets from the 80s, since there has never been a popular arcade culture here. I am looking for a DK or DK jr cab and those are really really rare here. Importing them from the US or Japan is sort of a pricey issue.

But just a few days ago a converted cab has turned up on ebay. That cab used to be a DK jr (which I would love to own) and got "sort of" converted to a Twin Eagle. Now, I have been watching John doing some incredible re-converting jobs on the Journey Arcade and refurbishing the Pac Man and Gyruss. I do think with a little help from you guys, I would also be able to do the woodwork and electronics.

BUT my big question is, is this cab on ebay worth investing into? Can you please take a look and share your opinion? Does this have a reasonable chance to become a nice DK jr again? Is that the original monitor or has it been modded? Can you get the control panel from the DK jr and install the original joysticks and buttons again? What do you think of the overall condition of this cab?

Please take a look and let me know your professional opinion. Maybe some of you guys have already been working on original Nintendo cabinets and know the issues and problems.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/360964852061?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Thanks a million!

Hey guys! Big arcade fan and devoted follower of all things Arcade and Retro Games here. Feeling like being stranded on an island though, since Germany does not really have an active culture of arcade games. Those had been banned a long time ago and I have never seen a real cabinet in person.
Luckily heroes like John or Greg and a lot of you guys let me feel the arcade vibe through YouTube.

Right now I am building a DIY bartop, using an old NES and doing the rest from scratch. Once I have a proper workshop or garage I am dreaming of building a Nintendo Cabinet from scratch. But that may take some time.

To John: Keep up your excellent videos. Such a great time and I have learned so much already that is written in no book anywhere to be found here!

To all you guys: Hope to get to know some of you folks or maybe even learn about other arcade fans located in northern Germany.

Game on!