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Wanting to buy GRiD 1660C, 1680, 1680C, or Panasonic CF-480

Caleb Hansberry

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
624
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Wanting to buy GRiD 1660C, 1680, 1680C, DECpc 325p, 425se, or Panasonic CF-480/comparable Panasonic systems. They're all derived from the same design and I ended up collecting several of them (Tandy, Siemens, DECpc) and want to complete the collection.
Attached is a picture of the most elusive 1680C. There's a few other models that overlap several vendors, one overlaps with Texas Instruments, another with a Zeos, but this one seems to be the only that overlaps with GRiD.
P1000169.jpg
 
No problem at all. Your contributions were invaluable. You essentially solved the problem. I actually got my hands on a GRiD 1755 that was still functional, but clearly suffered from DC-DC issues that were due to the capacitors, which confirmed the theory 100%. You basically saved several series of systems spanning a decade and several manufacturers. The vintage computer community is far greater for your involvement.

Now that I know you are looking for a 1660C, I will be keeping my eyes peeled for one. It's the least I can do.
 
Well... Thanks, haha. I actually didn't know you got around to fixing your 1755.

Yeah for sure, I don't expect to see a docking station but I imagine it would be compatible with all the models I have, that would be cool.
 
I found out another model to keep an eye out for, Panasonic CF-480C, which is the model the 1660C is based on. If you can get one of those, you can swap it into the case of a plain 1660
 
I learned something about the 1680C. It turns out it is another one-off by GRiD, a derivative of the Matsushita CF-480, with significant modifications. Much like the 1755\486SLC which was a one-off by GRiD, a derivative of the Matsushita CF-380, with significant modifications so it could run the Cx486SLC processor correctly.

Unfortunately, that makes the 1680C all the more rare, since it was a GRiD only model. I have no doubt if you look long enough, one will surface (just make sure to keep current with SearchTempest so you can rake Craigslist, and keep an eye on Reddit, more and more people are selling vintage IT there)
 
Thanks! Incidentally, I actually have a 1660C now, but it is damaged and non-working right now, and I'm looking for another one. I certainly don't have the 1680C yet though, or the 1680. Most significantly the 1660C has a thicker screen and top lid/case, so the whole top is taller, but does not affect the lower portion.
 
Found a reference to the Matsushita version of the 1680C, a couple cached images from google:
ZTjziai.jpg

KTLUMac.jpg

Its a 580/580C.
 
Well, slap my face and call me stupid. After getting the chance to compare decent images of the Grid 1660 and the 1680, I was convinced it was a GRiD only derivative, since the case was nearly identical, and because GRiD had released the last Matsushita derivative they made, the GRiD 4025NC (before being purchased by a UK company and becoming GriD Defence Systems U.K. LTD, which still exists to this day and still makes military grade IT hardware) in the same year as the 1680, which was of the previous case design, the GRiD 1660. That means that Matsushita made a model that was nearly as powerful as its next "new" model, using the case and design of it's then current model, and released it in the same year. That just makes no sense to me. I can't imagine what they were thinking.

As a side note, that makes the 1680C a tie with the 4025NC for the most powerful GRiD laptop ever made by the US company.
 
I certainly hope to not slap you in the face or imply you're stupid! On the contrary, I very much appreciate you working with me on digging up info about these oddly obscure laptop models, and got curious about another potential model and poked around the internet once more. I happened to already know it wasn't GRiD specific simply because I happen to own a Siemens-Nixdorf Matsushita derivative with some characteristics of the 1680, which I'm somewhat proud to say is rare in it's own right.
 
Quick update, I have acquired a 1680C thanks to forum member @joshuaparkour1 ! It fits in nicely with my Siemens PCD-3Nsl and GRiD 1660C. Now I'm just missing a GRiD 1680 to complete the GRiD side of the collection.

The Siemens appears to be closer to a 1660 than a 1680, but they made some advancements towards the 1680. The case is rounder, the lid is thinner, and the space that on the 1680 is filled with a PCMCIA slot, it filled with an LCD display.
IMG_20221003_183918107.jpg
 
This may be the final update to this thread! I have collected all the related GRiD models, and nearly all the related models in general. I recently found a reasonably priced 1680 on eBay, and then I found what was previously the most difficult to find, a CF-480:
IMG_20230713_210652649.jpg
It has the same plagues that affect the Tandy and GRiD models: paint flakes off their weird shiny plastic, cracks around the hinges, and failed DC board capacitors:
IMG_20230713_210734859.jpg
Here is the label, reading "Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd" just like the motherboard inside says:
IMG_20230713_210814102.jpg

Collection so far. Up to 10 laptops:
IMG_20230713_204850219_HDR.jpg
IMG_20230713_205430167_HDR.jpg

The only model left I'm really seeking is the DECpc 325P. The other models are curious, but a bit outside the scope of my collection.
Screenshot 2023-07-14 111752.png
 
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