Electrocoin- continental midi cabinet

Flyback2021 · Feb 7, 2025

Hi All,
I picked this up locally today and believe it to be a ‘continental midi’ cabinet by Electrocoin.
I have not come across this model before or been able to find much info about it.It has a fairly standardized Electrocoin control panel which has been populated from 3 to 6 buttons per player.
At some point the cabinet like Picasso entered a ‘blue period ‘ and got pebble dashed the hell out of .
The blue shingle is gritty , thick and oil based covering a wood grain black laminate which is visible on the inside and also on the flyer.
No Electrocoin branding is visible, however the cabinet has a serial number and Electrocoin sticker on reverse of cabinet. Everything I believe is original - Kortek Kn20 Monitor, coin mechanism (1989) electrocoin , tinted glass , joysticks ,buttons and all metal work and wiring. It came with 3 bootlegs -
Ghosts and Goblins, shinobi and Robocop all non working.
The seller had picked up in 1991 and dry stored since, the cabinet was brought from Bristol through an operator.
Does anyone own one of these ?

Flyback2021 · Feb 7, 2025

Original flyer

r-type · Feb 7, 2025

I don't think I've ever seen one of those. I like it! - Well, what it was supposed to look like at least.

Flyback2021 · Feb 7, 2025

r-type said:
I don't think I've ever seen one of those. I like it! - Well, what it was supposed to look like at least.

I am curious to see if anyone has one with marquee and control panel as it would have been uncharacteristic of electrocoin not to have had any branding on one of their cabinets eg Unigame etc ?

r-type · Feb 7, 2025

Flyback2021 said:
I am curious to see if anyone has one with marquee and control panel as it would have been uncharacteristic of electrocoin not to have had any branding on one of their cabinets eg Unigame etc ?

Agreed. Google is not your friend in this case is it? Can't find anything. Unless it had a different name by the time it was made?

Flyback2021 · Feb 7, 2025

r-type said:
Agreed. Google is not your friend in this case is it? Can't find anything. Unless it had a different name by the time it was made?

Possibly, but I am not able to find another cabinet which they produced under a different name to the same size and specifications?
I have a Neo geo 4 slot mvs electrocoin which is European stenciled on the top and is 4 cm lower in height than the UK version - 15mm black laminate on the doors as opposed to 18mm on UK mvs version.
I am sure Electrocoin were making customs and had European production contracts with different demand - guess I am interested in the history of the company and their production as have a fair few of there cabinets now.

Flyback2021 · Feb 7, 2025

I am unsure of the paint applied on top of original but guessing oil based as as did a test on the label area and bio strip took about 4 hours to lift.

Flyback2021 · Feb 7, 2025

3 bootlegs - robocop , shinobi plus ghosts and goblins at earlier stages all non working.

Flyback2021 · Feb 7, 2025

More details of cabinet

_Matt_ · Feb 7, 2025

As I said the other day it's a great find. I'm pretty sure I've never seen one apart from the flyers.

I have always thought that these cabs may have been made for export. I know Electrocoin have made the odd flyer showing a cab that wasn't the final version before but no marquee and no control panel overlay makes me think they may have possibly been made for Europe and the op would just put their own art on?

It's also strange that the top of the control panel doesn't have their trademark curved lip (money saving maybe?) Apart from that the cp looks standard. I took a close up pic of my flyer and it looks the same as your cab, no curved lip.

The only other image I have of one is on an Electrocoin brochure but it's the exact same pic unfortunately.

Flyback2021 · Feb 8, 2025

_Matt_ said:
As I said the other day it's a great find. I'm pretty sure I've never seen one apart from the flyers.

I have always thought that these cabs may have been made for export. I know Electrocoin have made the odd flyer showing a cab that wasn't the final version before but no marquee and no control panel overlay makes me think they may have possibly been made for Europe and the op would just put their own art on?

It's also strange that the top of the control panel doesn't have their trademark curved lip (money saving maybe?) Apart from that the cp looks standard. I took a close up pic of my flyer and it looks the same as your cab, no curved lip.

The only other image I have of one is on an Electrocoin brochure but it's the exact same pic unfortunately.View attachment 32624 View attachment 32625

Thanks Matt, brilliant info and insight as usual. I zoomed into the photo and shows dome bolts on the control panel which are holding the plates for locking clasps which I have not seen used by electrocoin before in this way. Normally they would have used countersunk bolts which inevitably puncture the overlay.
The monitor surround is different on flyer but the molded plastic in this cabinet I believe is original.
The cabinet has been untouched in 30 years apparently and the internals - chassis etc look in good condition and have been properly stored.

I will finish up the other electrocoins I am working on and then look at this.
Over the next few weeks I will do the following.
1) bio strip paint remover on the back of the cabinet and see where it goes.
Have used this before with success on overpainted midway cabinets .
It is slow to work but the least aggressive remover I have found plus biodegradable.
The paint job currently has the feel of 80 grit sandpaper hopefully with careful work I can remove and restore as faithfully as possible.
2)The metal paint work looks finished in the same way to European Neo Geo so can easily redo that.
3) kortek chassis serviced.

Flyback2021 · Feb 8, 2025

@_Matt_ any idea what “fully adaptable for the quatrain system “ means on the flyer ?

_Matt_ · Feb 8, 2025

Flyback2021 said:
@_Matt_ any idea what “fully adaptable for the quatrain system “ means on the flyer ?

I've wondered that myself in the past. I thought it may be to do with the coin mech possibly?

Hey it's great to see there's still people with the energy and passion and of course skill to find and restore cabs that most people didn't even know existed. Keep up the good work.

Flyback2021 · Feb 8, 2025

_Matt_ said:
I've wondered that myself in the past. I thought it may be to do with the coin mech possibly?

Hey it's great to see there's still people with the energy and passion and of course skill to find and restore cabs that most people didn't even know existed. Keep up the good work.

I was thinking it was related to coins also which would tie in with fact it was produced for the European markets ?

I really enjoy restoring and have a passion for Electrocoin produced cabinets. As regards the xenon restorations, I was always keen on them and one of the most nostalgic cabinets from growing up near Southport in 90s so to see one left outside I thought it was the perfect opportunity to remove the artwork and send over to Olly @muddymusic to reproduce. He always does a fantastic job and been using his repros for many years. Hopefully this helps people in the future to restore their xenon projects and will mean more survive and are preserved.
It was pure chance to come across the ‘continental midi’ and had no idea of its scarcity.
I have worked in the Art industry and Production since 2008 so I am quite technically minded , I have studied Art conservation so all aspecting of painting, spraying and restoration are my areas of expertise , woodworking also.I think the main thing I love is putting it all back together.
Hopefully I can take this cabinet to a decent level again.
Ps Also great to work with some incredibly skilled people - particularly a local metal worker who is exceptionally talented and obviously @gunblade who has serviced many of my chassis and Hararex psu’s in my Electrocoins.
Currently @Ace is looking at Run and Gun so that dedicated cabinet is back to full working order. There is a fantastic community of people out there helping keep these beautiful cabinets running

Flyback2021 · Feb 9, 2025

48hrs under biostrip . Going to be a slow laborious process.
The main benefit of this over other paint strippers is slow working and will not warp or crack the original laminate. Have used Paint panther / Nitrous Mors before and had lifting / cracking issues when used on laminate. They also contain methylene chloride which should be avoided.

On the plus side have revealed original laminate on lower section and in decent condition so far.

Flyback2021 · Feb 10, 2025

Not come across this type of chassis before . Grant enlightened me

“Its a kortek ktn20, very common - it uses a high impedance yoke so is not compatible with mtc900e, 9000 etc”

Chassis very clean but 200v and heater connector wasn’t attached so makes me think there was /is a fault.