My kit-form ZX81
Advice required, please.
I was one of those who picked up an immaculate kit-form ZX81 from eBay about six or seven years ago, since when I've been too scared to try and put it together.
My question is this. Should I attempt to build it - or should I leave it as is for historical purposes? I should add that I've no previous experience of building such things...
First post here btw, though I've been visiting WOS for years. Hello to all.
I was one of those who picked up an immaculate kit-form ZX81 from eBay about six or seven years ago, since when I've been too scared to try and put it together.
My question is this. Should I attempt to build it - or should I leave it as is for historical purposes? I should add that I've no previous experience of building such things...
First post here btw, though I've been visiting WOS for years. Hello to all.
Post edited by 4am on
Comments
Assembling it will devalue it IMO. But it would be fun to assemble it, and you will learn something from it too.
I think you'd be better off buying a cheap, maybe faulty one from ebay and take it apart and put it back together. After all you have instructions :)
Sound advice though, maybe I'll pick up a cheap 'this was working last year when I put it away but can't offer any guarantee' 81 from eBay and break that first instead.
Anyone with an idea of what these go for these days? Not that I'd part with it but it'd be interesting to know.
I wouldn't bother hanging onto it as an investment (unless you are thinking of your great-grandchildren at least) -- you will be long gone by the time it's worth 3 figures (as it was in the 80s) I suspect. They're not particularly rare and I would say:- if you're likely to get some fun out of building it, then go for it. There's probably just as much fun in your ancestors saying "this is what passed as a computer in 1981 and my great-granddad built this" as there is in a "L@@K R@RE, boxed ZX81 KIT from the ancient past" (which, in fact, is not rare at all).
Just my 2p. :)
I bought all the bits to build a zx81 clone a while back and never got past building the keyboard but I'll probably have another stab at that in the next few months.
Bytes:Chuntey - Spectrum tech blog.
And are you selling? :-)
One fun thing you might want to try out, if you have a digital video camera, is to record every step along the way and post it up on YouTube. Then others can learn from your success(es)/mistake(s).
I have one of those kits off eBay 6 or 7 years ago too, and was planning to build mine towards autumn. like to plan ahead :)
If you don't mind me asking in op's post, I have a few quick questions!
A What solder to use! I have some old solder ie from 80's, should I use that or modern stuff?
B what simple /essential mods to make while I build it ! ie composite mod etc
C when I made my original kit in 1981, my old dad "obtained" a 2k ram chip for me o mine had 2k from the off . Are those 2k ram's still available and does anyone know the part number or suggest a drop in replacement please?
I can't run to a zxpand right now so simple essentials, its be great to hear
Cheers and thanks op hope that's ok while the topics up
:)
Fill yer boots Iain, saves me asking at some point...
The latter almost certainly ZnorXman but yeah, I'll certainly consider it!
So, in January 2000, I went to NY with Mrs.C and bought one and ended up setting up a deal with Stewart Newfeld of Zerba Systems to import them to the UK via a company I had previously set up to do software consultancy, and flog them to other enthusiasts at as close to cost price as I could manage.
This worked well for maybe 6 months or a year or so, then I ran out of enthusiasts and started having to deal with complete bellends (including a couple of people who claimed that components were missing from the kits, despite the fact that I was employing somebody very efficient to check the kit contents were complete and unbroken before dispatching them - and it was, mysteriously, "sought after" components such as keyboard membranes that didn't seem to make it to these buyers). Then a couple of people who started ordering several a week and flogging them on ebay as L@@K R@RE items, for greatly inflated prices.
So in the end I thought "f**k it - I've had enough of this" and stopped importing them. What's in my loft is the stock I had remaining at this point (some kits, some memotech ram packs and HRG boards, a load of ZX81-related books) And, no, they're not for sale I'm afraid! :)
Somebody else took over a couple of years later I believe. I have no idea who, or whether they still have a supply of them. Good luck to 'em though! :lol:
Not that I check religiously but I haven't spotted more than the odd one here or there pop up on eBay in years now. IIRC, when I got mine circa 2004/5 'recently-discovered US pallets' were mentioned.
No need beanz, I've got half-a-dozen broken Vic 20's, C64's and Speccy's to get through first :smile:
You'll be pleased to know that your ZX81 is something of an international jet-setter then - having gone from it's UK origin, on to Spain, then to Zebra's warehouse in mid-town Manhattan, then back to the UK again before arriving in your hands :)
*posts on "the professionals" forum about big time fibber who has an uncle George*
:p
buy a zx81 pre-built keep the old one in kit form.