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epoxy2600

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 17, 2011
19
0
I have recently acquired a very special Mac M0001 from Marcia Raabe, a former Apple engineer who was part of the Mac design team from 1982-84 (she was Marcia Babcock at the time). This Mac was personally given to her by Steve Jobs on launch day, and has a personalized "In Appreciation" plaque on the rear bearing her name and the Picasso artwork. As an employee, she had in-house access to free hardware upgrades for her Mac, and as a result the Mac currently has a later 512K motherboard and a 1986 analog/power board installed.

I think it would be wonderful to restore this historic unit as close to it's original hardware as possible, so I am on the lookout for a working 128K logicboard (ideally a 1983 build with early low-profile 68000 and Apple-branded RAM) and likewise an early non-revision power board (ideally with early gray cardboard shield).

If someone can help me out, that would be wonderful.

Thanks!
Howie

BTW: Marcia is excited that I am restoring her "little Mac" and I am keeping her updated on the process.
 

epoxy2600

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 17, 2011
19
0
Here are some photos:
 

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filthandfury

macrumors member
Mar 18, 2008
43
0
Maybe buy a broken one on eBay or a Garage Sale?
Sorry I'm not much help, but that's a rad machine.
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,251
Cascadia
Wow! Make sure you go list it on the Mac 128 Registry.

I was lucky to get a "full production" 128 that has a 1983 manufacture date; like yours, it was upgraded with a 512K motherboard at some point. I've been hunting around for an original motherboard, too. I did get one, but it has some serious issues (lots of capacitor leakage, plus other "stuff leaked and corroded" damage.)

I love the Picasso 'tattoo', though! That is most certainly not on mine.

You may want to check out the 68k Macintosh Liberation Army forums, they're a great resource for old Macs. (And there will be much drooling if you announce your find over there.)

edit: WOAH! I just noticed that your keyboard and mouse have color Apple logos on them, not just stamped-in-plastic ones! VERY cool...
 

Lord Blackadder

macrumors P6
May 7, 2004
15,669
5,499
Sod off
A very nice find.

I remember 10 years or so ago you could still find Mac resellers that had quantities of 128s available, even the occasional small batch of Lisas. Those were the days! I never could quite afford one then, and now they are gaining value so I may never get my hands on one.
 

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
Does that model also have the signatures molded into the case on the insides?
 

epoxy2600

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 17, 2011
19
0
Yes, this one has the signatures inside the case...but they are *real* ones!

(Just kidding, just kidding, that was cruel I know).

By all appearances (including the signatures inside) this looks to be a standard production unit, albeit a very early one. The FCC ID sticker was relocated to the underside to make room for the personalized plaque on the back. Regarding the colored Apple logos on the keyboard and mouse, I believe these were installed after assembly, perhaps as part of dressing the unit up for presentation...?

I asked Marcia if she recalled whether these units were the very first off the assembly line, or if production started earlier. She couldn't remember.

Thanks for the link to the Hertzfeld video...it is cool to see another unit just like this one.

And thanks for the links to other sites...I should definitely ask for help there and register this unit.

Howie
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,251
Cascadia
Yes, this one has the signatures inside the case...but they are *real* ones!

(Just kidding, just kidding, that was cruel I know).

By all appearances (including the signatures inside) this looks to be a standard production unit, albeit a very early one. The FCC ID sticker was relocated to the underside to make room for the personalized plaque on the back. Regarding the colored Apple logos on the keyboard and mouse, I believe these were installed after assembly, perhaps as part of dressing the unit up for presentation...?

I asked Marcia if she recalled whether these units were the very first off the assembly line, or if production started earlier. She couldn't remember.

Thanks for the link to the Hertzfeld video...it is cool to see another unit just like this one.

And thanks for the links to other sites...I should definitely ask for help there and register this unit.

Howie

Well, until you post yours, mine is the oldest currently-listed one on that registry, with a 1983, week 52 manufacture. Yours is a good month earlier! If it truly was a "production" unit, then I would have to assume that week 47 would certainly be the absolute earliest models. (I bought mine from someone who had purchased it the very first day it was available, he even had the original MacWrite disk with a few of his documents on it! I converted them to a modern format and sent them back. :-D)
 

epoxy2600

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 17, 2011
19
0
Here are some additional photos:

The 400K external floppy drive is an engineering demo. Marcia said these were passed around the department for evaluation during development.

There are LOTS of floppies. Some look like they are beta versions of software, with "internal use only" stamped on them along with dates from around the Mac launch time.

Marcia very graciously wrote up a Letter of Provenance that authenticates this system, and documented memories of her time at Apple...it includes her role in the Mac team, her impressions of Apple during that amazing period, working with Steve Jobs and folks like Burrell Smith, etc. This is perhaps the most fascinating part of this Mac...the human story that goes along with it. She welcomes me sharing her words with anyone who's interested in Mac history.

So what's the best way for me to share this document with you guys?
It's a great read that should be right up there with the stories on Folklore.org.

Howie
 

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Macintosh128

macrumors newbie
Feb 17, 2011
5
0
Does the system currently power up?

You might have some pre release copies of the Finder there which pre date what is known to still exist, Finder 1.0 - 4 Dec 1983
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,251
Cascadia
Here are some additional photos:

The 400K external floppy drive is an engineering demo. Marcia said these were passed around the department for evaluation during development.

There are LOTS of floppies. Some look like they are beta versions of software, with "internal use only" stamped on them along with dates from around the Mac launch time.

Marcia very graciously wrote up a Letter of Provenance that authenticates this system, and documented memories of her time at Apple...it includes her role in the Mac team, her impressions of Apple during that amazing period, working with Steve Jobs and folks like Burrell Smith, etc. This is perhaps the most fascinating part of this Mac...the human story that goes along with it. She welcomes me sharing her words with anyone who's interested in Mac history.

So what's the best way for me to share this document with you guys?
It's a great read that should be right up there with the stories on Folklore.org.

Howie

Ack! "Through The Looking Glass"!! I've been wanting a copy of that for a very long time... (A legitimate copy, not a duplicated disk or downloaded image.)
 

Macintosh128

macrumors newbie
Feb 17, 2011
5
0
From the disks you posted this system might have used a prototype 512k board in it anyway. Remember even the launch day Macintosh was actually a 512k.
 

dmr727

macrumors G4
Dec 29, 2007
10,416
5,152
NYC
Ack! "Through The Looking Glass"!! I've been wanting a copy of that for a very long time... (A legitimate copy, not a duplicated disk or downloaded image.)

Do you want the box and everything? I'm going to be moving in about a month, and plan on donating a lot of my collection. I think I only have the disk, though. I kept a lot of games from my childhood, but unfortunately wasn't smart enough to keep the boxes. :(

BTW OP, that's an amazing machine!
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,251
Cascadia
Do you want the box and everything? I'm going to be moving in about a month, and plan on donating a lot of my collection. I think I only have the disk, though. I kept a lot of games from my childhood, but unfortunately wasn't smart enough to keep the boxes. :(

BTW OP, that's an amazing machine!

Obviously, I'd love to have the whole setup, but the disk alone would be wonderful!
 

ileneh

macrumors newbie
Aug 14, 2006
8
0
Through the Looking Glass and more

Ack! "Through The Looking Glass"!! I've been wanting a copy of that for a very long time... (A legitimate copy, not a duplicated disk or downloaded image.)


Gee, I have Through the Looking Glass, in its original box. It was never even put in a Mac. I also have my original 128K Mac box, and the plastic box with tape and disks, etc. Probably have other stuff from that 1984 era too, just haven't looked at it in a while. I have the Mac too, but sadly converted it to a Mac Plus.
::: Wondering if it's time to sell this stuff off??!!::::

Any idea on what original Mac stuff is worth these days? (Checking eBay is like searching in a wasteland.)
ilene
 

Macintosh128

macrumors newbie
Feb 17, 2011
5
0
Well a few months back just a single disk copy without the package from Through the Looking Glass sold for $99, so a complete set may command $200-$250
 

firewood

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2003
8,107
1,345
Silicon Valley
From the disks you posted this system might have used a prototype 512k board in it anyway. Remember even the launch day Macintosh was actually a 512k.

IIRC, to make a launch day Mac into a 512, you needed not only a jumper and different DRAM chips (soldered in), but a PAL chip that was configured/burned differently.
 
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