What are your vintage grail items?

[RetroViator]

As for grail items, I've got three:

• Osborne 4 (Vixen) -- A friend of mine had one after passing me his Osborne One. It may have been peak CP/M.
• Commodore PET -- They look just so darn cool!
• Quadra 840AV -- The best Quadra, and I used one at work back in the day.

Aside from those, I'd also like to come across the somewhat more common systems below that have alluded me:

• IBM 5150 -- Changed the world--not in the same way as the Mac--but nevertheless.
• IBM 5170 -- The quintessential PC.
• Amiga 500 -- I never had an Amiga, never used one, but I'd like to fiddle with it.

 

[MindThreat]

Maybe it's cliche, but for me it would a TAM...just the mystique (that may or may not have have been true) that you could pay to have an Apple guy with white gloves come set up your crazy expensive computer is something I'd love to own.

Prices have always been high, though, and now they seem to be astronomical.

I’ve seen really nice TAMs list for $1,000 and I don’t think that’s all that bad of a price considering what it is. No personal desire to own one but can recognize its special place in history and appreciate it for what it is.

 

[Stephen]

Just a frigging Mac 128k in good condition. Is that really so much to ask for? (They're really hard to get!)

 

[MindThreat]

Just a frigging Mac 128k in good condition. Is that really so much to ask for? (They're really hard to get!)

Doesn't @Drake have a Christmas tree made out of them? or are those just basic Macs

 

[Drake]

Doesn't @Drake have a Christmas tree made out of them? or are those just basic Macs

They are all 128k, unfortunately I epoxied them all together as a permanent x-mas tree. All this was after Steve Jobs came over and signed them.

My grail item: A really nice iBook clamshell and maybe a really good lookin' Newton!

My anti-Grail item: 5400 or similar chungus. "Ya too big! Get outta here!"

 

[wottle]

This year I've crossed quite a few off my bucket list (SE/30, Color Classic, G4 cube, TAM, Newton 130 in original box, Powerbook 540c, clamshell iBook). Some were on the list because I had them, but most were computers I really wanted when they came out but couldn't afford.

In terms of items on the list, I'd love to round out my compact Mac collection with a 128k / 512k / Plus, and even a Mac Classic (I know they're pretty terrible, but I did like the design). And if prices drop at some point, I'd actually love to have a trashcan Mac Pro (let the heckling begin).

 

[Fizzbinn]

This year I've crossed quite a few off my bucket list (SE/30, Color Classic, G4 cube, TAM, Newton 130 in original box, Powerbook 540c, clamshell iBook). Some were on the list because I had them, but most were computers I really wanted when they came out but couldn't afford.

In terms of items on the list, I'd love to round out my compact Mac collection with a 128k / 512k / Plus, and even a Mac Classic (I know they're pretty terrible, but I did like the design). And if prices drop at some point, I'd actually love to have a trashcan Mac Pro (let the heckling begin).

I would like to find a SE SuperDrive, SE/30, and/or a Classic/Classic2. It’s a design thing for me too. Mostly. And I’m totally with you on the trashcan Mac Pro, always made me scratch my head but it’s undeniably interesting and unique.

 

[pfuentes69]

Well…. Not a computer but I’ve been seeking to have this back since I lost mine in the 80’s
Not I have one finally!

 

[Kai Robinson]

Gonna add to the list of mine - powerbook 550c is on the list now, too. And a 180c that doesn't have a melted screen.

A Quadra 700 was on my list, but I have one of those, now!

Also, an Acer 1170 — I had one growing up, upgraded to a home built machine, but I really liked the case.

For more of an esoteric grail find - two pc cases, the Jeantech Butterfly v2 and the InWin S500, or knockoff of the same.

 

[lobust]

One thing that's on my list and seemingly unobtanium is a working copy of MacBRAVO! by Schlumberger. It's pictured in the Quadra 700/900 brochure and I would absolutely love to have that running on my 700.

As far as Macs go, an 840av is about the only remaining Mac that I really want. I still have my very first computer, a totally plain and basic SE, stashed away in my mum's attic and would love to put some nice upgrades / accelerators in it but they are also difficult to come by here in the UK.


MacBRAVO!:

 

[3lectr1c]

I mainly collect old laptops, but I also like AIOs and desktops. Here’s my list:

Laptops:
PowerBook 2400 - The compact IBM-designed laptop of 1997. Might be the only 90s PB with good build quality. Unfortunately, they weren’t sold very long in the US and are quite rare.
PowerBook 3400 - The 1997 powerhouse. Apparently these have pretty good speakers, and would be a great OS 8.5 machine, but it seems eBay has decided that they are worth $300. Id
PowerBook 550c - The Japan-exclusive PB. I put in a low bid on an untested lot on Buyee that included one a few months back, but I didn’t win (unsurprisingly). I did recently get a 540c though, so I guess I can settle for that.
PowerBook 100 - the low end of the first series of PowerBooks. I tried to win an auction on one a couple months back but got sniped at literally the last second.
Duo 2300 w/ DuoDock - just really cool
Finally, a nice 180 with no tunnel vision would also be nice I suppose. And a Pismo.

AIOs:
1. Literally any compact Mac. I don’t care which one, any one of them will do.
2. LC 575.
3. Power Macintosh 5400.
I know people hate both of those machines, especially the 5400, but that honestly just makes me want one more.
4. A Bondi Blue Rev B tray loader iMac, since we’re talking grail items it would have a G4 upgrade and the SCSI+AV Mezzanine upgrade. I actually saw one of those at the VCF Swap meet this year but it was way too expensive.
5. G3 AIO Beige - same reason as the 5400

Desktops:
Just going to list these:
IIsi, IIci, Q840av, 9500, 9600, G3 B&W, LC475, 6500 (really love the look of the case on that one)
That’s all I can think of right now. It’s not exhaustive, but I got all the big ones.

 

[Trash80toG4]

WOW! Nice thread, but could use a bit of refinement?

Grail in this case meaning (for the uninitiated) an item that you've wanted for a while, but haven't been able to acquire (either due to timing, or it being so rare, etc.)

"Holy Grail" would be the unattainable or near-unobtanium: quest for the real deal - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

"Eleanor" would be the object of insane desires, but something one might actually get their hands on: Gone in Sixty Seconds.

In that veign:
TwiggyMac prototype would be all but unobtanium.

Add ColbyMac to the Grail list.

Eleanor Class:
Radius FPD I yearned for back in the day to complete my SE/Radius16 MacSignmaker, Typographer workstation. Not likely though.

Too many to mention, sigh.

 

[Stephen]

Just a frigging Mac 128k in good condition. Is that really so much to ask for? (They're really hard to get!)

For the record, I finally found a 128k in excellent condition at an excellent price. I don't think there is anything else I really want to get in the mac world

 

[rikerjoe]

On my grail list is a Mac IIfx. In my early days at NASA I had one in my office (which was unheard of back in the day) to run simulations for one of the Shuttle flights I was working. I managed to keep the IIfx until the mid 90’s when the tide of Windows PCs became too much for the bosses, and they told all of us Mac people to turn in our Macs for PCs. I said screw it and bought a PowerBook 5300cs as my personal replacement daily driver which I still have. Anyway, the IIfx holds a special place in my heart and I’m keeping my eye out for one. So many are battery-bombed that I may be looking for a while, sigh.

 

[This Does Not Compute]

run simulations for one of the Shuttle flights I was working

This is a story I'd love to hear!

 

[Kai Robinson]

I concur - you can't tease us like that!

 

[Fizzbinn]

NASA, Macintosh IIfx, Space Shuttle flight simulations… Boring!

….Now let me tell you about the time I played Oregon Trail on a Macintosh LC in a middle school computer lab, so exciting.

Kidding aside I want hear more too!!!

 

[Trash80toG4]

Eleanor's sitting proudly on its customized, primo spot the AppleDisplayUnit™ . . .

. . . but with the Portable's lid open you can't see the worm logo on its NASA property tag.

edit: TEASE!

 

[pocketscience]

I've got so much vintage gear, and it's all special in some way to me. Mostly because in some way it brings back fond memories from my youth. I've got a bunch of classic Macs from 128K to Classic II, a tray load iMac G3, Newtons and eMates. Lots of old portable gaming gear too I also have a plethora of old Palm gear - original Pilot 1000, all the way through. However the rarest items I have are two Palm Foleo's. Not over the 20 year mark yet, so maybe not "vintage" - but given they were never officially released I feel pretty lucky to have them.

Pic of the "Faileo" the day iPad was announced...

 

[3lectr1c]

Hold up just one second - how on earth did you get one of those Palm Foleos, let alone two? I remember hearing about those years ago, probably back in 2015. I was big into Palm stuff at the time and it sort of seemed mythical to me. You've got to explain how you got your hands on those.