A “NEW” quadra 800?

[-SE40-]

Last weekend ive got a “gift” from an old friend…..as he was cleaning out his cellar, he rediscovered something I am interrested in…… so he sent me this picture

At my first impression, I thought - Crap.
The case fell almost apart when picking it up. So took it with me to my shop, to check it out.

Its a Wombat!

Macintosh Quadra 800 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Its plastic interior has broken most of the tabs and the metal was bend and dented.

Although very yellow, the only more interresting parts is the frontpanel.
So opened it I checked its electrical connections, hold my breath, and switched it on….
And it chimes, and comes up asking for a disk. So basicly it works!

taking it apart it showed this 040 processor (after removing the cooler)

The board looks actually really good, and is (strangely) superclean.
All tantalum caps!
Not seen that before on a Mac

…..and I tried my IIci case to fit the board.
With a few adaptations, this will fit very nice!
Even the switches are in the right position.

So, what shall I do?
Renewing the old case is no real option.
Try and find another good 800 case?
That may prob have similar issues.

This IIci case looks/fits this board to good to be true, but I originally wanted to restore the IIci bombed board, and make it “new” again.
A nice G5 case?
Or what other options are there else?
Anyone suggestions?

 

[jajan547]

Just find a cheap 8100 and swap the case.

 

[Astal]

The problem with the cases based on the Quadra 800 is they're all "Spindler" plastics. Cheap and thin. I might have a IIcx bottom case around here somewhere.

 

[-SE40-]

Thats an Idea, thanks!
Just checked our local online market,
no hits. Only Etsy has one defect at +100$
I have to look further.

 

[-SE40-]

I feel its a pity apple did not make this more durable…..

 

[-SE40-]

@Astal …..The IICX is different from the IICI?

 

[Volvo242GT]

IIcx has no video output port on its board, so that area is blank.

You might also find a dead IIvx or IIvi machine (or a Centris 650/Quadra 650 that's dead), then you can swap the board into that system. Transfer the power LED from the dead machine's board to the solder pads on the 800 board, then put it in place. It will no longer identify itself as a Quadra 800, instead as a Quadra 650, but that's ok.

 

[Volvo242GT]

Also, the Centris/Quadra 650 and Quadra 800 boards come with tants from the factory. Yet, the PowerMac 7100 boards have electrolytics.

 

[-SE40-]

Strange….different factory maybe?

 

[-SE40-]

I see, indeed the CX has extra space,
Is that also the same board size as the Quadra 700?

Edit: obviously, same size as the 700

 

[Volvo242GT]

The back panel shown is the IIcx version. IIci has a video port in the middle. The Quadra 700 case is preconfigured for a Wombat (C/Q650, Q800) board, so it's just a matter of dropping it in. You do lose access to the third slot, if there's a need for external connection, since the 700 only has two slot openings on the back panel.

 

[-SE40-]

Great info, many thanks!
I go on the lookout for a Quadra 700 case then.
There is no hurry, as there are enough projects already.

If someone in this forum has one available for no crazy money,
……please do let me know

 

[-SE40-]

Alternatively create a temporarely Q700 @home?
Woods metal plastics…..🛠

 

[retr01]

Now that is interesting, @-SE40-! Yeah, I think that making a case is more fun than open surgery on a stock Apple Mac case to shove a different logic board in. And that retro Apple logo is fantastic!

 

[-SE40-]

Something to considder…..
Lots of stuff in the past filled up cases.
With Bluescsi and small PSU’s what would be usefull?

like a testbench
Or
More esthetic
Or
?

 

[retr01]

A bench with a beautiful rack of wooden cases is stacked up left to right, up and down. Each with varying Apple logos drives in the front and, of course, the model name. Each would probably have a different wood tone, grain, etc. Each case would have plenty of ventilation and a quiet fan.

Above that rack would be a huge HDMI monitor. Run a VGA switch box to an Extron or RGB2HDMI to the monitor. BMOW Wombat ADB/USB or similar from each computer to a USB switch box. One keyboard and mouse for all.

I have a similar setup for my modern MacBook Air M1, Apple IIGS, IIci, and SE/30 sans the wooden rack.

 

[-SE40-]

I like the LC series basic size……
I love the Mac II CI/CX/ Quadra 700 for its design/styling…
What do you get when mix these together?
Best of both worlds.

 

[retr01]

Yaasss! The Apple IIGS, if you think about it, is not taller than the IIc, IIcx, or Q700 case and a bit taller than the LC series pizza boxes. Sans the front "foot," the snow white case of the Apple IIGS is nice to stack up.

3D printing brings a lot of opportunities for case design and production to simply slap in the logic board you want and change the rear panels to fit. Result can be a beautiful stack up and left to right of Macs. I really do not understand why the tech industry is not taking heed to the automobile industry where they tend to share same chassis and swap out whatever body and other parts.

 

[-SE40-]

Well, there is the Marketing department thinking in a different way…..specially 20-30 years ago.

But nowadays with minimal components,
the sky is the limit.
Even with older apple boards.

 

[-SE40-]

After a search for a Q700 and suiting powermac cases, its hard finding a decent one.

I do like the idea of a compact sized case.
So now aiming to create something myself for the Q800 board.

Ive done a casedesign for a controllerbox a while back, what with some adjustment and turned on the side could be a mini Q700 lookalike designcase….