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Large Tandy stash picked up at a garage sale today.

LiqMatrix

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
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Found a large stash of Tandy gear at a garage sale today. Picked it all up for $30.00. I will be restoring most of it, BUT before I do is there anyone here interested in Tandy documents? I have a box full of Tandy docs that I recovered. All of it was going into the garbage bin and I actually had to dig one of the computers out of the trash which luckily was in clean trash, meaning no liquids or anything that made it generally gross. I have hordes of OS-9 docs, assembly docs, etc. I will post photos if anyone would like a peek. Let me know. Some of it will be going to a museum I restore equipment for at no profit, but most of this I would like to get back into circulation with the Tandy preservation community. The docs are mostly clean, but the hardware needs a serious scrub down and inspection which is what I like to do.

If there are any docs you want just cover shipping and that's it.

An example of today's grab:

tandy_drive.jpg
 
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Taking photos now. Nothing too exciting, but the manuals and docs are interesting to me.
 
Yes, that is the result of being in a humid Florida garage for 35 years. I wish he had stored all of it in climate controlled spaces, BUT... it was $30.00 so...
 
Ok guys, here we go, the docs are truly the gem here. The systems look like they came off a Mad Max movie set. Not as large of a stash as I remember this morning, but at least I saved it from the garbage. The mouse is so yellowed it almost looks bronze. Just PM me if you want some of this. Just pay the shipping which we will work out over the next few days. I have to find envelopes and boxes for this stuff.

Note: The four game manuals are already spoken for. They will be going to The Strong: National Museum Of Play in Rochester, NY.

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I know you have had your fair share of dirt my friend. It's never a clean job mining vintage computers. I like the color of the mouse actually. It is the visual embodiment of my 3rd grade teacher's coffee/smoker breath. LOL
 
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You really like to scrub this nasty stuff down? :D

That coco RAM badge is unusual. Is that a dymo label?
 
For an investment of $30 and some elbow grease, if it cleans up well, that's a nice haul. I've had stuff that was pretty dirty that was passed over that cleaned upp great and was a gem.

Good job!
 
Nothing a garden hose and air compressor can't solve. LOL

I clean this kind of stuff up all the time and I am one of those weird collectors who restores it to a certain point so it works and looks good, but I do not usually retrobright because it can weaken the plastics and I kind of like a clean, working, but used look. They all have their stories. The previous owner was definitely a smoker which makes it a bit more challenging, but nothing I haven't come across before. Of course there will be before and after photos. I may need your help in this forum getting it up and running, though, because I am not a Coco user at all. I usually restore Atari, Commodore, early 8088/286 systems and a few CP/M machines as well. My last restore was a Kaypro 4 and the CP/M forum here really helped me a ton getting it up and running.

Like I said before, the manuals and docs are what I really like for the graphic art, etc. and if any of you need or want any of it please let me know as I have no use for it. Just pay the shipping which we can figure out the cheapest method. I just couldn't let it all get thrown away. Seemed such a waste and I know some collectors out there would like the documentation saved.

This is an example of where I like to stop on restoring a piece of hardware. I tore down this ITT Xtra 80286 keyboard, cleaned every element, made sure it worked properly and left the yellowing. It's clean, it works and it looks old. Perfect.

http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthre...TT-Mmeory-Expansion-Board&p=489226#post489226
 
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Well, we have a first taker. The following are now spoken for so far in the lot:

1.) Blue Streak Ultima Serial To Parallel Interface
2.) Color Profile Hard Cover Manual
3.) Cash Budget Management Hard Cover Manual
4.) Beyond Turtle Graphics Paperback Book

There's plenty left so please PM me if you want anything.
 
That stuff does look pretty nasty. If the manuals were coated with that dirt (I hope it is dirt) I would trash them. Most of the old machines I get in need to be washed and scrubbed to remove marks. I rarely get a keyboard that doesn't get stripped (but it does happen).

I have a CoCo 2 with that external floppy drive (just 1 floppy in the enclosure) and it had a rust spot on top (which was odd since the rest of it looked mint) so I sanded and painted it.
 
That stuff does look pretty nasty. If the manuals were coated with that dirt (I hope it is dirt) I would trash them. Most of the old machines I get in need to be washed and scrubbed to remove marks. I rarely get a keyboard that doesn't get stripped (but it does happen).

I have a CoCo 2 with that external floppy drive (just 1 floppy in the enclosure) and it had a rust spot on top (which was odd since the rest of it looked mint) so I sanded and painted it.

You must be joking. No way am I trashing them. The manuals and docs are what makes this haul worth its weight in gold. Already have moved a bit of it to programmers and collectors who will actually use them. Most of the docs are in very good shape and the rest cleaned up nicely. I am actually cleaning up both Coco systems as we speak. The Coco 1 is completely disassembled right now and parts are soaking in vinegar and others in soapy water. Will have it completely back together by tomorrow thoroughly cleaned up. The case has a lot of permanent staining, but if it works, I don't care. I do have a small soldering job to do on the Coco 1, but very minor. Then onto the Coco 3 for its bath. The drive unit will be last as it will take the most time to get clean and operating smoothly. This is definitely one of the messier jobs I've done, but it is very rewarding getting these old guys kicking again.
 
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