Retro Computer Haul and Restoration

Burzum

So I recently purchased a bundle of computers all untested, stored since the mid 90's in a tiny attic in Dublin.

After a bit of back and forth negotiating the price on the lot we managed to come to a price that suited us both.

In the add it showed a bunch of boxed systems, " Sinclair QL, Zx Spectrum, Philips MSX, Oric Atmos, Lynx Home Computer, Atari 800XL, Amstrad 6128plus, Aquarius, Commodore Vic20, Commodore 64, Original Gameboy x2, Super Nintendo".

Loose systems are, "Oric-1 x2, Oric Atmos x2, Amiga 500, Amstrad CPC 6128, NES x6, Sharp MZ 80B, Sharp MZ700, Commodore 128, Commodore 64, Commodore 64 GS, Commodore Vic20, Commodore 16 x2, Commodore Plus/4, TI-99/4A, Sord M5, CGL M5, Atari 2600 x2, Atari 7800, Master System, Spectrum +2, Intellivision, Atari 800xl, Sony HitBit, Atari Woody x2, Atari Vader, Apple IIe, Interton VC 4000, Gameboy Colour, Zx Spectrum, Telesport SD050c, Academy D-5614, Acorn BBC, Atari 520 St, Atari 1040 ST, Philips G7000, Dragon 32.

Some of those loose computers have multiples, just not sure which until I collect the rest of it.

Also a couple hundred games/software spanning most of those computers and a good few boxes of peripherals and cables, psu's etc.

Burzum

My plans are to one at a time to clean and refurbish all of the computers, keep the ones I want and sell/trade the rest for other items I want.

At the moment I am just storing them and sourcing parts(cap kits, new membranes, bands for tape players, rubber feet etc), I will be recapping all systems, performing av mods where possible, reflowing solder especially around I/O points.

I will be taking pictures along the way of the process and if I can find a cheap rig I may record it aswell, just to document what I am doing and also to use it as a reference when looking for guidance from people more knowledgeable than me when it comes to this sort of thing (which is more than likely everyone on this board )

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I will be trying to make updates on this thread every Sunday (as/when work/personal time allows) so keep an eye out for more updates.

CiDeRmAn

Dang, some lovely things in there.
Well done.

o1s1n

Any idea how they all ended up there? Old shop stock? Collector? Amazing amount of gear to get out of one attic - best of luck with the restorations!

Burzum

Apparently himself and his brother collected them from car boots in England in early 90's and brought them all back to Dublin and stored them in their parents attic until recently.

He is still finding things and adding them to the bundle, he found a Memotech MTX512 with powers supply and another boxed 800xl. It just keeps getting better .

Will be grabbing all that is left hopefully this Saturday I will be updating with pictures asap.

Burzum

My 1st restoration plans will be on the Commodore 64GS, I have on the way a new RCA cable, PSU over voltage saver as not to sure on the old psu (will probably buy a new one), LumaFix64 just in case its needed, also a diagnostic cart, Will recap this and the two joysticks also and any other little bits that need to be done.

CiDeRmAn

And now I want a Vic20...
Bugger

mrcheez

Came here for retro pics...

any photos yet?

Burzum

Will repost some pics now, collecting the rest of the bundle soon so you will be inundated with pics then

Tom Mann Centuria

QLs and Spectrums can leach bad vibes into the rest, so just to be safe, maybe best to just give them to me. :pac:


Good luck with them all, looking forward to seeing the pictures and progress.

Burzum

@mrcheez Most of the haul so far.

Burzum

Burzum

Is there a better image hosting site than imgur, I find it impossible to upload more than 4 image at a time. Frustrating as hell.

o1s1n

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617882#Comment_117617882

You can just upload straight to boards with the new update - one of the only improvements!

Burzum

Oh grand :D ty

Burzum

More of the haul, for some reason there was 10 800XL's all together :D

Burzum

Double posted same images.

Burzum

Burzum

Burzum

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Burzum

And lastly this beauty.

Burzum

All in all 130ish individual computers.

mrcheez

Wow nice haul! What was the reason the guy you bought them from had so many items?

Love the Tomytronic 3D ... I completely forgot about those!

Tow

The two Oric-1's with the black and white Oric logos are the black and white version. On the bottom should be sticks saying if they are 16K or 48K.

Spear

There's an Amiga 500 Plus there. They had an onboard battery which was prone to leaking and corroding the boards. It may be gone already, but if it'll be some time before that one gets looked at, it might be beneficial to remove it now, if someone hasn't already seen to it.

Flinty997

Yeah had a Tomytronic 3D myself, the red one.

That's some haul. Worryingly I remember using, quite a few of these, in school, or at friends houses though I never personally owned any of these.

Burzum

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117619370#Comment_117619370

Will get to those this weekend and remove the batteries as you say, hopefully they have not leaked.

Burzum

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117619439#Comment_117619439

There is a second one there 3d Shark Attack I think, sadly if I try use them I get a terrible headache after a minute or two.

Burzum

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117619357#Comment_117619357

The black labeled is the 16k and the coloured label is 48k

Burzum

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117619250#Comment_117619250

Apparently the person I got them from, him and his brother picked them up at carboot sales in the UK in the early 90's, I am not sure if they actually used any of them, it was more a case of I couldnt afford them when I was younger so now I will buy them all since I can :)

Spear

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117619672#Comment_117619672

I should also add, the other Amigas may have them on memory expansions in the trapdoor expansion area. It was the Plus variant that had one integrated into the main board though.

Burzum

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117619700#Comment_117619700

TY for the heads up will open them up and remove them, fingers crossed no leakage :)

mrcheez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc6hq1zSAvE

This is the one I remember playing in school... not sure if I owned one, or just played a friend's. Used to get up to some crazy speeds!

Felt like I was driving a Delorian :D

eddhorse

Amazing haul , good job, best of luck restoring and finding homes for everything.

deadduck

What a haul! Best of luck with the restorations 👍

Skerries

I wanted the Red Tomy Tronic as it reminded me of Tron but after a couple of years asking they got me the Blue one

I bought the red one a couple of years

Burzum

Cleaning both of them up at the minute there was some corrosion, hopefully can get them up and running.

Burzum

IMG_20210919_014801.jpg

IMG_20210919_014805.jpg

Finally getting around to testing some bits, Tested and working Toshiba MSX with soccer game.

Tom Mann Centuria

You gave up on the restoration idea then? Saw the listing on Adverts.

Burzum

Didn't give up as such, working 6day weeks with new job so barely any time to myself let alone enough to get through this bundle.

I've fixed up, 1c64 and tape deck, 4 2600's, a C64gs, 2 Sord M5's, 2 sharp mz7000's, working on a spectrum plus 2 cassette drive at the minute but not gonna lie the amount still left to even un box is a little overwhelming :)

That's why I put half of it up for sale still leaves me with a big enough pile to get through.

Tom Mann Centuria

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118231660#Comment_118231660

Work always gets in the way! I'm just a lotto win away from taking that listing off your hands.

Burzum

Haha and I'm a lotto win away from keeping it 🤣

gg3390

Hello - what a great collection. You don't have your username on Adverts? - Either I cant see any ads, or they've been all sold.. Thank you.

Dr Bob

Crikey ...how did I miss this !

I had a Sord M5 as a kid , my first computer which I inherited from a cousin

Also I used to have most of the Tomy Tronics at one point when I was really actively collecting ,including a pretty rare yellow Jungle Fighter one , sold them on while back though.

Have a really old youtube video of the collection here if anyones interested (was recorded on an old camcorder so low quality but still might be of interest)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=damMnxulEqI