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JLPGA PowerBook 170 (Bennington model) [16 photos]

WardC

WardC

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 17, 2007
2,726
213
Fort Worth, TX
I was lucky to recently acquire a JLPGA model PowerBook 170 on eBay. This model was made for the Japanese LPGA tournament in 1992, and there were only about 500 units made. What makes this PowerBook unique is the colorful case plastics, it's really cool! This is probably the neatest Mac in my collection, among my two clear Newton 110s. When I got the PowerBook it booted to a "?" at startup. The seller thought the PowerBook required KanjiTalk 6.0.7 to boot, but I was able to get it up and running with 7.1.1. I also added a brand new battery to the unit as well as a new flap for the port cover on the rear. It's in mint condition, and this was really a neat find. I paid $900 for it! But it's all worth it, this is the coolest Mac I have ever seen. I've taken a good amount of photos and posted them below. Enjoy!

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Enjoy!!! Please post your comments or questions below!
 
dmr727

dmr727

macrumors G4
Dec 29, 2007
10,414
5,150
NYC
Very nice! The 170 is one of my favorite Powerbooks, and yours is certainly special.
 
Hrududu

Hrududu

macrumors 68020
Jul 25, 2008
2,299
627
Central US
Thats a cool thing to own. The fact that it runs and looks to be in such good condition is incredible for such an old PowerBook. You have to wonder how many of those are left in the world now.
 
A

Archon Gold

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2009
331
0
Canada, Ontario
This really makes me miss my PowerBook 165. I have to buy another vintage powerbook, I was always fascinated by older versions of Mac OS running on a portable.
 
MacTech68

MacTech68

macrumors 68020
Mar 16, 2008
2,393
209
Australia, Perth
Wow. Never knew these existed. What a great find!

I'm curious to know if the Keyboard, Trackball and I/O door are original config (being the stock grey color). I know these were commonly replaced parts in my day. I used to keep stock of the I/O doors and trackball assemblies.

Do we know of any original marketing artwork or pics?
________
Simca 1300/1500
 
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Anonymous Freak

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,251
Cascadia
To wander completely off-topic...

Is it just me, or would Gary Sinise be the perfect actor to play Richard Feynman in a movie? (When I saw the poster in the background, for a fraction of a second, I thought it was a poster of Gary Sinise, before my brain parsed the rest of it.)
 
dmr727

dmr727

macrumors G4
Dec 29, 2007
10,414
5,150
NYC
Archon Gold said:
This really makes me miss my PowerBook 165. I have to buy another vintage powerbook, I was always fascinated by older versions of Mac OS running on a portable.
Click to expand...

Get yourself a PowerBook 100. It was the only PowerBook that could run System 6. Max out the RAM (8MB) and you could put an entire system and some apps on a RAM disk. It was very quick, and if you spin down the hard drive, completely silent. :)
 
A

Archon Gold

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2009
331
0
Canada, Ontario
dmr727 said:
Get yourself a PowerBook 100. It was the only PowerBook that could run System 6. Max out the RAM (8MB) and you could put an entire system and some apps on a RAM disk. It was very quick, and if you spin down the hard drive, completely silent. :)
Click to expand...

I was thinking along the lines of a PowerBook 1400c or a Pismo.
 
WardC

WardC

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 17, 2007
2,726
213
Fort Worth, TX
MacTech68 said:
Wow. Never knew these existed. What a great find!

I'm curious to know if the Keyboard, Trackball and I/O door are original config (being the stock grey color). I know these were commonly replaced parts in my day. I used to keep stock of the I/O doors and trackball assemblies.

Do we know of any original marketing artwork or pics?
Click to expand...

The original IO door is red, but it was missing when I acquired this PowerBook. I added the grey door to the back of the unit because it was missing. Now it has an IO door. I bet you could never find A RED one specifically for this unit. The trackball and keyboard are the stock color, grey. The IO door is the only thing on this unit that is not the original color.

-Ward
 
T

Theclamshell

macrumors 68030
Mar 2, 2009
2,741
3
I occasionally look for these. I am so jealous!! These are such amazing machines. Take care of it. It is an amazing machine!!
 
S

steveca

macrumors 6502
Mar 9, 2005
256
0
Malta
really nice. price is good because it is not only a laptop but a collectors item. Not many in the world... like special cars...
 
MacTech68

MacTech68

macrumors 68020
Mar 16, 2008
2,393
209
Australia, Perth
WardC said:
The original IO door is red, but it was missing when I acquired this PowerBook. I added the grey door to the back of the unit because it was missing. Now it has an IO door. I bet you could never find A RED one specifically for this unit. The trackball and keyboard are the stock color, grey. The IO door is the only thing on this unit that is not the original color.

-Ward
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info. I wonder if you could find a plastics molder that could recreate an I/O door in red?

And am I to assume that no original brochures/artwork exist for this limited edition PowerBook?
________
Paseo
 
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A

applegeek13

macrumors regular
Sep 7, 2009
113
0
I have a PowerBook 170. it's just a normal one though, and has no battery, but it's in mint condition. I paid 45$ for it. Is that a good deal?
 
K

kbfr08

macrumors 6502
Mar 16, 2007
462
29
Blue, red, yellow, green and gray... now that's rolling in style ;). Nice find.
 
MacTech68

MacTech68

macrumors 68020
Mar 16, 2008
2,393
209
Australia, Perth
WardC said:
I am bumping this thread up, if you haven't seen this awesome laptop yet, take a look!!
Click to expand...

Tsk tsk! ;)

I wonder if you could get a plastics molder to re-create the red I/O door using the grey one and attempting to colour match. Expensive, yes...

Interesting that they didn't colour the screw hole covers and top bumpers in the display bezel.

A trackball coloured as a golf-ball would have been cool too. ;)
 
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S

-SD-

macrumors 6502
Mar 23, 2009
343
1
Peterborough, UK
That's pretty cool. Never knew these even existed, even though it does look a little 'Fisher Price'. Nice find considering how rare these appear to be.

:apple:
 
WardC

WardC

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 17, 2007
2,726
213
Fort Worth, TX
This computer is probably the "very most coolest" Mac in my collection. I still can't believe I found it. I've never seen another one for sale!
 
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