Dreading Teardown

I know the time is coming soon thatt I must tear down my cab in preparation for mame computer installation. I'll have to strip down the cab to just the bare wood and start cleaning, filling, sanding, painting, T-molding replacement, and woodworking. I'll need to tear it down just so I can have a good look at the monitor space; to facilitate fitting of the new 21" PC monitor (if I choose to use it over the arcade monitor).

The thing is, although it looks like shit and isn't an original dedicated Carrier Air Wing, it is a living, breathing game that's really fun to play. I'm having trouble bringing myself to gut it. I have too much for the arcade machine and its hardware. It's tough to come to terms with the idea that I must gut this living breathing arcade game of its hardware and replace it with a PC running software emulation. The thought turns my stomach a little. But I can't become a cab collector in my little place, and that machine will be so much more once the conversion is finished.