Robotron Joystick Replacements

So these monsters are the originals!?

Even though we could see the big holes in all 3 CPs, we still ruled them out as being the originals. It’s such an ugly solution, it just couldn’t be the original set-up! But are you sure they weren’t bolted through the CP? Do you have a picture to back it up? Our 3 CPs all have 8 holes around each joystick. The Up-Down-Left-Right holes fit with the 4 holes on the “monster-joystick”, whereas the diagonal holes fit with the traces of a joystick mounting plate (?) with a suspiciously “WICO-ish” look to it. Compare it to the WICO centering grommet in the middle which I put in for reference, and you see what I mean. These trace marks we thought were from the first joystick assembly. They look like – maybe - they could be after some sort of different WICO joystick model, i.e. different from the ones in US Robotron, after which the trace marks would’ve been rectangular (3” x 3.5”).

Oddly, the “ugly-sticks” were in when I bought my Robotron in 1987. This also seemed to corroborate that they were joystick model #2 in succession. I bought my Robotron from an operator, and he bad-mouthed the joysticks, I remember. They were broken, so he threw in a pair new of micro switch sticks (and a second broken pair of the ugly ones). In the picture you can see the bigger rectangular outlines after them.

Oddly #2: Why is the plywood exactly as thick as on US Robotron? It makes me think they wanted to use the WICO 4” sticks, like in US Robo. And the “ugly-sticks” does not level with the CP - the “hockey puck” is 2 mm above the CP surface. Why not have a slightly thinner plywood from the beginning, and make them level?

Still kind of strange, this, I think.