WTB: Macintosh Performa 575 series all in one - any condition

[tblake05]

Performa 575, or any matching all-in-one form factor.

Searching for one like I used in high school just for the nostalgia. Any condition, working or not. Can repair myself as long as it's complete.

Because: oregon trail, dino park tycoon, and geometric golpher. Emulators are just not the same.....

PS, Even though my wife's very understanding of my hobbies and their associated costs, I'd rather not pay ebay's full blown retail (and then some) prices.

I've got paypal or personal check, and can email a prepaid shipping PDF label as well. (couldn't be easier)

Let me know what you have!!!

Thanks!

~Tim

 

[tblake05]

So what would you guys recommend paying for a performa 550?

Found one locally in unworking condition. It includes keyboard and mouse. It’s slightly yellowed, and the back panel that removes to slide out the motherboard has broken clips.

the asking price is 250. Which is.... high. Would an offer of 100.00 be an insult? There’s just too many unknowns. Maybe 250 for a working machine. At the very least I’m sure the power supply and main board will need new caps. The monitor may be used up, the floppy mech may not work.... anything.

thanks!!

 

[Timo W.]

Untested and with yellowing/broken tabs? 100 at most! These classic Macs aren't worth much, even those all-in-one models. In bad condition, people don't buy them.

 

[jwse30]

The 550 and 575 seem to only have value because their logic boards can upgrade a Color Classic. The logicboards sell for the same price as a whole system from what I've observed. If you happen to be going to VCF midwest this weekend, there was a 550 on Facebook Marketplace about 2 hours from Elmhurst that had a picture of its desktop. I can look and see if I saved it if you're interested in a side quest.

As an aside, does it have to be an all in one? You can get an LC III or lc 475 for far less money and don't have to worry about analog boards (though their power supplies seem to be a weak point?) Maybe one of those would tide you over til you find a good 575?

Good luck,

J White

 

[VERAULT]

So I own a 575 or 475.. I forget which. I had to recap the CRT board and the mainboard. They ALL have atrotious capacitor leakage so most of the ones you find in the wild need new caps and have been stewing in what is essentially battery acid eating up the traces etc. Just like the Macintosh color classic, there are SOOO MANY CAPACITORS on both boards its a long tedious job. Also the plastics are super fragile and breaking apart. Even on mine, I had to fix a bunch of broken pieces especially where the rear cover screws on.

My advice dont buy one.. if you must buy it for next to nothing (under $40.00) and do all the work yourself to save costs.

 

[NeXT]

Listen, if you want a Performa 580CD which is basically the same machine I'm willing to give you one for free, plus manuals, software booklet, keyboard, mouse etc. All I'm missing here is the original shipping carton.

You just gotta pay shipping and be aware it will very likely *not* survive the trip in one piece.

 

[whartung]

You just gotta pay shipping and be aware it will very likely *not* survive the trip in one piece.

So, how should it be packed? If it's stuffed in a box with 4"-6" of styrofoam peanuts surrounding, will it survive in that? Do the internals break even if the outside is well cushioned? Is it simply that plastics can't take stress even in a properly packed styrofoam barrier? (or the air bags, or whatever).

Is it simply impossible to pack these things for proper shipment, or simply very, very impractical.

It's certainly a kind offer on your part, I'm just curious as someone experienced in this area why you feel that even you could not pack and ship this properly.

(and, no criticism intended, I'm just curious the fundamentals of the overall issue.)

 

[VERAULT]

I have posted this many times. I ship CRT's internationally all the time. You cant account for abuse but you can ensure things to arrive as best is possible. CRT's should be shipped face down on a semi rigid foam like insulation foam or polystyrene. all sides of the box should should have this as well for impact damage(which will happen). Packing material should be strong and dense. Large bubble, bubble wrap is good when wrapped and taped tightly. Foam or poly polystyrene to fill the spaces. To top the box off I use small empty boxes packing with cheap packing material and double taped. This puts positive pressure on whats inside and ensures they dont move.. And its cheap and easy.. Do not skimp on thick good tape. I mummify the box in packing tape. Also Home depot sells double thick reinforced cardboard moving boxes.. I use them or double up the card board boxes. There is absolutely NO excuse for crappy packaging. Crappy packaging reflects the shipped intelligence if you ask me.

 

[NeXT]

The CRT has to be removed and shipped in a separate insured box. There is no way an all-in-one LC/Performa can support the weight of a CRT anymore in shipping due to how brittle the plastics have become, even if it did have its original shipping carton and styrofoam inserts.
To put it into perspective, when I got this machine last year it was basically mint and after 30 minutes of handling it began falling apart. Just pushing the logic board into the back of the machine caused every plastic support holding the front and back together turned to dust and it walked out of the case.

 

[VERAULT]

It's amazing this brittle plague is specific to Mac and apple gear. I have never seen it to this degree on anything else . I'm really hoping someone finds a way to map these cases so one day in the not so distant future we can order reprints.

I have a late 90s Mac monitor I have been putting back together like a puzzle using epoxy as touching it makes it crumble but the guts are fine.

 

[RetroDan]

I've got a working 575. PM me.