Retro to the max

[xris]

First off I have been peepping around this site for some time now....great job

I have done some simply modding thus far...psu, wires, and lighting. I have been for some time thinking of starting a real retro mod for some time the one problem I have is finding some place to buy the "case" I would like. I like the ones were the computer, monitor, and keyboard are all one part.

example

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=135

Sorry I did not really know where to post this at....but does anyone know of a place that sells older computers like the one in the link above. I got many ideas of mods that could be done to mix the old with the new, I just need the "case" to get started.

Thanks and you all keep up the great work...

[DaveW]

I'm not certain, but you could try at places like schools. Back in my high school, they kept pretty much every computer they ever had in a big storeroom. They'll probably be finickey about giving you them (i mean, they never threw them away in the first place, right?) but if you know someone, say the head, you could try and grease your way. If not, just make it from scratch. Sounds daunting, but not as bad as you'd think. Check out Rankenphile's Ultimate arcade (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1378&highlight=arcade) for example. Make magazine issue 2 also has details about turning an Atari into a media centre PC, which isn't too difficult.

Looked at your link-If you really wanted something like that, i don't think you'd be able to get modern parts into it with ease. I'd say that you could get the stuff and make it yourself though...possibly...

I'll post back if i come up with any ideas.

-Dave

[xris]

Thanks for the information and the link....I was thinking about the room that was in the old rerto computers. I was going to "strip" all the old junk out in the first place so I figured that if I needed the room I would just use a LED monitor and that would give me room behind it to put in my hard drives and the psu. Plus I found a MOBO that has a intergrated GeForce 6000 (or was it a 6600???) If I did all that I should have plenty of room.


I could make a case out of metal I work with it for a living but that would not have the retro feel...although I could make one modeled after an older computer...but how many people would look at that and go "oh man look at that old crap computer you should get a newer one man you know you can get them real cheap now at Wal-Mart...." lol

Other then that I would not know ever were to start with modding one out of plastic....

[Rankenphile]

TheGreatSatan had a Kaypro 2 (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1335) that he was beginning a mod on and decided to abandon. He wsa offering the case up for sale for a while, I don't know if he still has it - write to him and see if you can get that one. I always thought it was a great idea.

Other good places to look are surplus stores, if you can find them, or eBay/Craig's List/Google Base. Good luck on this one, this is a mod I always wanted to see.

[xmastree]

Not quite as old as yours, but I've just put this (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2219) together.
I'm not sure what it originally housed, but it has a Windows 98 sticker on the front, and a list of DIP switch settings inside.

[jdbnsn]

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-HEWLETT-PACKARD-HP-85-HP85A-COMPUTER_W0QQitemZ8780597616QQcategoryZ4193QQrdZ1Q QcmdZViewItem

That's about all I could find on ebay, the heathkit/zenith seems to be a collectors model, there are several online museums displaying it, might be a tough find. Good luck.

[xmastree]

Hmm... I appear to have acquired this (http://www.geocities.com/xmastree_ph/386/index.html).
Check out those vibration dampers. Were they to protect the disks from external shock? Or to protect everything else from the disk's vibes? ;)

[jdbnsn]

I think those damper were to stabilize the video card, this model I think used the beta max from sony!:D

[xmastree]

I think those damper were to stabilize the video cardHeh, you might be right there. I just pulled it, it's a Paradise (remember them?) and it has four crystal oscillators on it! That's gonna vibrate some!

Or maybe they're for the memory card, to stop the bits falling out. :)