Tag Archives: Restoration

1983 NABU PC – 230V PSU Modification, Replacement Cooling Fan, & Serial Adapter

In case you haven’t heard, the retro computer scene has been recently introduced to the NABU Personal Computer (PC) – produced between 1982 and 1984 by the NABU Network Corporation in Ottawa, Canada – when a large number (1000+) of unsold, new-old-stock, new-in-box systems were found in a warehouse, untouched for decades. The NABU (NaturalContinue reading “1983 NABU PC – 230V PSU Modification, Replacement Cooling Fan, & Serial Adapter”

1982 Atari 400 Repair & Restoration

Believe it or not, I’m known around my workplace as a bit of a geek, primarily because of the tinkering around with vintage electronics that I do in my spare time – as such, every now and again I get a request from a colleague to take a look at some hardware for them. ThisContinue reading “1982 Atari 400 Repair & Restoration”

1959 Kolster Brandes QB20 “Minuet” Bakelite Vacuum Tube Radio Repair & Restoration

A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law spotted a vintage 1959 Kolster Brandes QB20 “Minuet” tube AM/FM radio set in a local charity shop, and – knowing that I have a growing interest in radios – very kindly bought it for me for £10.00 (even though it wasn’t technically for sale, but was being used asContinue reading “1959 Kolster Brandes QB20 “Minuet” Bakelite Vacuum Tube Radio Repair & Restoration”

1988 Apple 20SC External HDD Repair & Restoration

I recently got my hands on a 1986 Apple Macintosh Plus 1MB, which came with a 1988 Apple 20SC external 20MB SCSI HDD, both in unknown condition. The Apple Hard Disk 20SC (not to be confused with the Apple Macintosh Hard Disk 20) was Apple’s first SCSI based hard drive for the Apple II familyContinue reading “1988 Apple 20SC External HDD Repair & Restoration”

1956 Philips 353A Bakelite Vacuum Tube Radio Repair & Restoration

A few months ago I bought my first ever vacuum tube radio, a 1956 Philips 353A bakelite AM/FM set, which is (currently) the oldest item in my collection. I’ve been wanting to get into vintage radio restoration for some time now (after watching YouTube channels such as the excellent Mr Carlson’s Lab), as I find theContinue reading “1956 Philips 353A Bakelite Vacuum Tube Radio Repair & Restoration”

1983 Commodore 2031-LP 5.25″ FDD Repair & Restoration

I recently acquired my first Commodore 2031-LP 5.25″ FDD, another vintage disk drive to add to my collection, and a rather uncommon one at that. The drive was in reasonable condition, however it was bought untested and sold-as-seen with no accessories after being stored at the bottom of a wardrobe for several decades. The Commodore 2031 andContinue reading “1983 Commodore 2031-LP 5.25″ FDD Repair & Restoration”

1974 Sinclair Scientific Calculator Repair & Restoration

I recently acquired a Sinclair Scientific calculator from 1974, alongside a large bundle of vintage computers – this was an unexpected (but very welcome) surprise and is in fact my first vintage calculator, though it is basically a pocket computer, so it is certainly in keeping with the rest of my collection. The calculator wasContinue reading “1974 Sinclair Scientific Calculator Repair & Restoration”

Microsoft Xbox (Original) Repair & Restoration

I recently picked up an original Xbox, boxed with accessories, and in good condition. I never actually owned one of these myself back in the day, but a lot of my friends did, so it brings back a lot of memories for me, and I was looking forward to trying it out. The Xbox wasContinue reading “Microsoft Xbox (Original) Repair & Restoration”

Commodore 1540 5.25″ FDD Restoration

I recently acquired my first Commodore 1540 5.25″ FDD, another vintage disk drive to add to my collection. The drive was in reasonable condition and came with several accessories and its original box, however it was bought sold-as-seen and had several modifications and missing parts. The Commodore 1540 5.25″ FDD was released in 1981 forContinue reading “Commodore 1540 5.25″ FDD Restoration”

My 1982 Acorn Atom

I recently obtained my first Acorn Atom, another 1980s 8-bit computer to add to my collection. The machine was in very good, tested condition and came with several tasteful (and reversible) modifications to improve reliability and usability. The Acorn Atom was produced by Acorn Computers Ltd from 1980 to 1982, when it was replaced by the BBC Micro. The AtomContinue reading “My 1982 Acorn Atom”