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Apple II on eBay

Jimmy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
592
Location
Fort Walton Beach, Fl
I am trying to learn about the early Apple II's. I know a lof of them had replacement motherboard, power supplies and other items.

How do you tell original equipment from replacement?

Here is an example http://www.ebay.com/itm/221216098239?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649. What am I looking for for in this machine that made have been replaced.

I know some things about the original 5150 what to look for in an origianl machine, black power supplies, esp one with non-recessed bolts on top, 16-64 k boards, the wider spacer on the component cards. The dates for the BIOS to see if they have been replaced. What would be some of the same things to look for in an Apple II.

Thanks,

Jimmy
 
How do you tell original equipment from replacement?
Many clues about this one are fishy. This looks like a rev 7 motherboard, circia 1980 (based on the two I have). Dark expansion slots, no tabs on the slots, no memory select chips, two rows of headers in the video section. For such an early serial number, you'd expect a rev 0/1 mobo with bright blue-green (whatever that color was) expansion slots, for example. that's a really obvious thing to look for on an early board. For something that should be from 1977 or 1978, this is not the original mobo.

The keyboard has a flat, flush power light - that was definitely not the norm for what should be an early vintage. The raised key-like power light was most typical; then a raised square, then the flush version came out. By the time flush lights were out, we were into the II+ era. So while the keyboard is still an early one (witness the smooth, non-textured keys) it wouldn't be original either.

The power switch is a rocker on a silver box, which is about right for the case (and just about matches with the serial number - you only see that on the earlier models) but the very earliest ones had toggle switches. I'm not saying this is a mismatch (especially as the serial numbers are close to each other), but toggles are a giveaway for the very earliest machines.

It's important to note that Apple had a parts-bin mentality in those days - there are few absolutes about what constituted a particular model on a particular date. II-configured machines were sold alongside II+-configured machines for a time. Parts were phased out over time and replacements came in as necessary. And then of course warranty service could mean subsystems were swapped wholesale (as is a likely situation here).
 
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Well I will add a bunch to this. Keycaps can be changed and the print isn't from an early keyboard I have many examples, believe it or not the print on the early ones was ivory. I though it was aging, but its actually not, I have seen sealed NOS keycaps. This should be a rev 0 board and at that time apple wasn't like a parts bin, they only had a few variations. Repair centers were like parts bins.

Now could it be possible it's the correct keyboard if it doesn't have the raised power key, that it was simply missing and they put a new cover on from a newer one, but in this case it's not. All of the Datanetics keyboards used a separate fake keyswitch as a "fixture" for the cap. Even with a flat cap, it doesn't really sit flat, the edge is above the keyboard. On an RFI keyboard from a II plus, it's flat like this one.

The motherboard actually looks I think later than a rev 7. It looks like the motherboard that's in my II plus with the serial number in the 400,000's. The power supply looks correct, but I don't think the part number is a sticker on the back by the toggle switch, I thought it was silk screened, but I'm not 100% sure on that, I'm not at home right now to check. The top serial number sticker is accurate or makes sense for that serial number.

So basically this is a case and a supply. It shouldn't go for a lot, but some uninformed buyer may spend a lot more on it and not realize its true value. It would be a great candidate for a rev-0 replica motherboard from Mike Willegal if he makes them again. then you'd have to track down the right keyboard, which is a Datanetics Apple II keyboard without a daughterboard, but with the encoder in the lower right hand corner.

BTW I messaged the seller and told him his ad was deceptive as most of it is not an Apple II, and that just because it beeps when he turns it on doesn't mean it works, it means it turns on.

Also something else that bothers me is the mention of a 2mm ding on the case, but no picture of it and the sellers feedback of 1. This smells even more fishy that the seller knows exactly what he has and the "case" damage may be worse than is mentioned.

Jimmy, if you ever have questions on if something is original, just ask here or on AppleFritter we can always send you a picture of what it should look like. I have a Rev-0 and can always send you pics.

Cheers,
Corey
 
David and Corey:

Thank both of you for your replies. I may at sometime buy one to keep for my Grandson. I am just trying to learn a little about them. I have the IIC that a member gave me. I have if setup for my Grandson and I to learn more about Apples. As always, the vast knowledge of the members of the forum amazes me.

Thanks again,

Jimmy
 
Just note that example the original power supply is in the last picture. It's not in the machine. A replacement is.

This example was brought up on another board on how sometimes if your lucky and quick you can get a deal on a Rev-0.

I remember this auction (I wasn't fast enough). Because right after that auction, a rev 0 motherboard that was a hacked up basket case went for something like 2k plus.
 
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