• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

What are the top 10 rarest vintage computer bits you own?

Probably the rarest thing I "have" is the Northstar S-100 machine, but I'm not sure if that counts because it's about 1,200 miles away and have yet to lay hands on it. (Long story.)

After that... I guess it's probably my Apple II clone, although it only gets partial credit because its motherboard was replaced with one from a genuine Apple II plus at some point.
 
A Commodore 128C?
Yeah, I probably should mention my Tyan Thunder 2 ATX whitebox also so as to not waste a post replying lol... Omnibook 800CT, Compaq TC1000, HP T5710 TM8600, Evergreen 486 upgrade. Thinkpad 240x, I have a few hard to find PCMCIA/CF wifi cards. I also have a KGPE-D16 with 256GB ram, somewhat of a rare beast as configured I guess.
 
I will never rid off my 68020 IDP board. I randomly have fun programming it, usually during rainy or snowy weekends.
Unfortunately I don't have the full IDP-bus timing documentation.
 
I don't have that much incredibly rare stuff, but I do have a few things.
I have a couple of 5175 Professional Graphics Displays, both working. One has been converted to VGA at some point in its lifetime, so it is now my primary monitor on my AT. I have the matching Professional Graphics Controller, and am in the process of getting it to work.
I also have an IBM PC RT with a 5185 graphics terminal, but I don't have any of the accessories.
I have an IBM AT PC 370 option as well, but I don't really know how rare that is.
 
I have only one truly rare machine but it's a fun one - Atari Transputer Workstation (ATW). Also have a IMSAI 8080 set up as close to War Games as I was able to.
 
Picked up a Zenith ZFL-171-82 at the computer reset... 42 was apparently the usual model number no idea what 82 means? It's a very funny machine IMO... which is why I got it.... its just like a the weirdest form factor, dual floppy drives, can run on battery if it had one, and has an expansion bus hanging out the back. Many of the chips are socketed also.

Upgraded it to a NEC V20 I'm curious to see if I can crystal mod it. It's in otherwise excellent condition. The one on youtube by LGR seemed to have a dead backlight. A screensaver in 1983 apparently just means the backlight turns off... I was able to get an AC adapter that works with it and can handle the drives the one I initially tested it on gave the low battery error since it was only a 0.8A supply.

I intend to take it to subway occasionally and when I feel a writing spell hit me... just for laughs.

Dunno how rare it is the IRS had 15k of them made this is a 1986 model delievered 05-87
 
I got given a NEC PC-8201A along with original case and manuals. Was used out in the feild for telecom work. Just sorting out the battery pack.
 

Attachments

  • 20190622_130601[1].jpg
    20190622_130601[1].jpg
    90.3 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
A Rev. A IBM 5150 w/early MDA, and a iTronix T5000 field computer (think a rugged HPLX palmtop) with a cF card containing the original Southwestern Bell TAN 2.0 software.
 
I wouldn't consider anything I own to be super rare because I probably wouldn't have it if it were. With that said, the "rarest" things I own are:
1) IBM 5150
2) Osborne 1
3) Ferrite core memory from the USSR
 
Back
Top