Here are the pics I promised. Yesterday I played about 15 minutes and went from thb 400 to thb 600.
Is there a way to beat the game all the time? There has to be :-) :-)

I think I have a crystal core monitor topper left, I sold a couple to two different guys here and have one left

OK. This board is done. The corrosion was not serious. Cleaned up nice.
The audio noise was 'terrifying' lol with the MML2 board. As expected for a 500, or 501 board. This board is a 500 REV D.

I made sound level tests on this board with and without the new rework I have, as well as a random 504B board.

The background noise level in my shop is about 31 dBA. I measured the levels at 3 inches from the right speaker.
'Before' is without any modification. 'After' is with the rework. 'Random 504B' is just a handy 504B board for reference.
Remember that a 10dBA difference is double the apparent audio volume, or half the volume depending on which way it goes.

While booting:
Before - 62dBA   After - 49dBA   Random 504B - 42dBA

Reel Spin Noise:
Before - 81dBA!  After - 60dBA   Random 504B - 60dBA

Booted and at Idle:
Before - 62dBA   After - 47dBA   Random 504B - 53dBA

Tested with sound volume set at zero.  The volume of the background noise is unchanged and unaffected by the volume number in settings. The noise level is the same with the volume set at 0, or at 10. The noise enters through the power rails on the digital potentiometer chip on the MPU. Noise is introduced via the 5v supply voltage, and ground level fluctuations. Also some of the noise is inductively coupled from nearby traces. Most of the static you hear (not reel spin noise from the stepper drivers) is related to SENET signal activity.

I have a worn part on the handle pull, its a stop piece. It would be awesome to locate another one.

Handle stop bumper.

your guess is as good as mine, I have no idea what its used for but i see guys selling them from 400-600, can't say if people are buying them but that's what they're asking