Fw: Estimated Price Of A "Classic" PDP-8?

From: William Maddox <wmaddox_at_pacbell.net>
Date: Mon Jan 26 01:34:39 2004

> The big issue isn't going to be getting paid, but finding a
> replacement at any price.

At the time of the last e-mail I exchanged with David, he was hoping that a
restoration was possible. He wasn't sure of the exact extent of the damage,
but seemed to think that the power supply, the front panel glass, and the
plexiglass covers had taken the worst of of it. Since the minimum
restoration effort would require one-off fabrication of the covers and panel
glass, this would not be cheap. The process that Bob Armstrong used for
the SBC6120 front panel would produce a very nice replacement, though it be
plastic. Doing the work as an insurance settlement would probably require
that it be contracted to a professional who could provide a quotation.
Honestly, I have no knowledge of anyone who works professionally on stuff
quite this old! There are apparently a few caches of flip-chips from that
era around, though getting a collector to part with some spares could be
expensive as well. In any case, that was David's thinking moreso than
reaching a cash-for-scrap settlement.

--Bill
Received on Mon Jan 26 2004 - 01:34:39 GMT