From: Bondavi (bondavi@aol.com_removeme)
Subject: Re: WTB Quantum cocktail 
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting
Date: 1997/07/31 


Wow....this sure brings back some nice memories, as well as a long *sigh*.
I'll get into that later....

This Quantum was indeed an converted Tempest cabinet, because the usual
Atari stickers on the cabinet  were removed, and in their place was an
ordinary Atari trademark/patent sticker. I had initially thought from my
brother's description that it was a Space Duel-style cabinet, but I had
serious doubts of Quantum running on a 13" xy monitor. Indeed, a Tempest
which (get this!) had been outfitted with an Amplifone to compensate for
the higher vector draw rate supplied by the PCB.

The glass was plain, and had a printed cardboard Quantum underlay with the
respective colors and logo located in the same place as the Tempest logo.
The borders were bright yellow, silver and blue, if I recall correctly.
Trackballs were black, same size as Millipede's, and the black overlays
had the same border color scheme as the underlay. 

Inside, the wiring appeared to be homemade, without any sign of tags
pertaining to Atari. The PCB, with a serial number in the 00510 range ,
had led me to believe this had been one of the last Quantums produced, and
considering that it didn't do too well technically and in the arcades, I
believe Atari axed the cocktail project.

The game was non-working, as it had the notorious red-colored Amplifone
flyback, but it still coined and played fine. I had plans to resurrect it
and display it to RGVAC folk, when the inevitable happened....

A collector/operator from the Sonoma valley area in Northern California by
the name of John Cayskuyic (netless guy) caught wind of this find, and
offered me $1,000 cash for the game. At the time, Gaymond Lee was
contemplating selling his upright (which I really wanted, cuz of the
artwork and inherent coolness) I let it go DOA. Back then, I thought it
was an astronomical price for a dead game, I made the mistake of letting
it go. Who knows if I might be able to buy it back? (Wishful thinking
here!)

However, I DID take pictures of it, which Chris Hanks has been awaiting to
see for quite some time now. I just have to search for the film roll under
all the rubble at my brother's house. I'll send it to Jess Askey to post
in his webpage for all to see.

Please don't make this any harder than can be. I already feel lousy not
being able to get an upright by now, still. Anybody out there who can help
me acquire one (oh please, PLEASE!  ;^)

Best regards,

David Birchell