New Zealand Vintage Computer Forums

tezza wrote:Prices are rising. I think they will continue to rise as demand increases from baby-boomers who are nearing retirement age and looking for a nostalgic hobby. I'm just glad I started my '70-80s collection in 2007. Andrew (lizardboy) is probably glad he started even earlier when people were giving these things away.

The first computer I "collected" (i.e. wasn't got because of an immediate desire to use it reguarly) was a breadbin C64 from a real-life auction in Dunedin circa 1997. It cost me a few bucks ($5? Less than $5?) and came with a stack of tapes and a C2N. For the next few years that was the nature of my hobby - seldom did I pay more than $50, and then only when someone else wanted the same thing and we ended up in a major bidding war. Most of the time bidding went like this..

"Opening at $5! $5! $5! $4! $4! Come on Andrew, surely it's worth $4! $3! 50c! We have 50c! $1! Anybody? $1? $1? Going at 50c! Going at 50c! Sold."

Of course, I had to account for the 10% auction fees back then

I bought a working ICL 8086 running Concurrent CP/M for $10 when I was 14.
Few years later it ended up in the tip.

I need a DeLorean.

I need a DeLorean.

Tell me about it. Before heading away overseas a few years ago I pretty much gave away 2 x 5155s with software, the bags and manuals along with a couple of 5150s and 5153s plus a heap of MFM drives. I still wake up at night in a cold sweat about that decision. I'm crying and rocking side to side in my chair now actually and I'm still at work... in an open office.

Maybe this would do the trick?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 657150.htm

VIC they had one at Webbs auction some weeks ago it did not sell at 20thou, looks sim to the one here, but can't tell for sure as there was a ding in the right hand side door , which is not shown in this auction

Man, if i wasn't blowing all of my money on vintage computers I could save up for something like this. Strange classic cars with cult 80s movie connections is not a distraction I need though.

VIC if it would do what the cult classic would do, think of all the Classic systems you could bring back, with hind sight you could get all the really rare ones in Boxes that are in perfect condition, and make a mint, ( just think 10 years ago you could buy a boxed Atari 800XL in perfect condition for a $1 , I did even got a boxed STE for $2 boxed and full ram expansion to 4 MB. seem to remember seeing an Apple II's go for a $1 a piece at Fitzgerald auction, about 20 of them ex school being sold with all the gear and I did not bite. I did get at the same auction 3 Archimedes in a Tea chest for $1.

That's amazing - even to go back 10 years. I would be interesting to see how many Apple IIs you could fit into the back of a DeLorean.

Well that depends upon whether you build one of those 16 way Apple IIe multiprocessor cube thingy's that John McMahon built.

VIC wrote:Strange classic cars with cult 80s movie connections is not a distraction I need though.

It really isn't. I have a 1986 and a 1987 Pontiac Fiero... remember the white car that Ferris Bueller's sister has? Yeah, two of them. Money sinks. Why do you think I can't afford to compete with you guys in vintage auctions?

It really isn't. I have a 1986 and a 1987 Pontiac Fiero... remember the white car that Ferris Bueller's sister has?

Awesome! I bet they're money sinks. I've got a 1986 Opel Manta. No movie connection I don't think but expensive enough none the less.

I used to restore / attempt to restore, Mitsubishi Starion's from 1982-1987 (think Jackie Chan + Cannonball Run II) but they went from cheap fun toys to 'collectors items' and I didn't love them quite enough, although nothing says 1980's like popup headlights, turbo decals, and red leather. Now my car money hole is a '97 Lancer Evolution, but that's been in my garage for over a year now, doesn't need much spent ($600ish) just I don't go to the track really anymore so haven't got around to it and I've been spending my spare $ on this stuff. Temporarily using it as a safe house for things like my A2000.

But yeah couldn't do computers and cars at the same time without going bankrupt

SpidersWeb wrote:I used to restore / attempt to restore, Mitsubishi Starion's from 1982-1987

Starionwgn on Trademe?

I have a friend building up an '86 Starion GSR-III with a 4G63 DOHC setup. Should go hard but he keeps getting distracted by Lotus 7s and MR2s

Yeah that's where the name came from

Nice setup, one of mine was sold to a guy who has fitted it with 4G63 DOHC - its a red 1986 EX (Euro Export)

Why do I have a feeling we should have a thread for discussing 80s sportscars somewhere off-topic?

If it continued much longer I was going to suggest it