Sinclair ZX80 / ZX81 / Z88 Forums

Is the bloke on here who is selling off his entire 8-bit collection? - In the States.... I suppose we will all have that day, but mine isn't yet.

I could use a toast rack and a zx80

Spinnetti wrote: ↑Mon Jun 13, 2022 3:59 am I could use a toast rack and a zx80

I dread to think what the current prices for good condition and working ZX Spectrum 128K “toastracks” or ZX80 “yogurt pots” would be.

I looked over five to eight years ago, and because I didn’t want to pay silly prices eventually bagged a faulty “toastrack” (shot membrane and a DRAM fault) and a faulty ZX80 with rather worse for wear case (SRAM fault, undid the double stacked ZX81 ROM that was piggybacked on the ZX80 ROM, removed the extra wiring and switch for this, but I can’t see a good way to fill in all the extra holes in the case).

Mark

Toasties are currently £150 to £250 depending on condition. Add at least £100 if you want a really poor box…

ZX80s are currently £200 plus for a poor condition one that is untested. Nice ones are often £400 plus in a box. A really nice one, boxed and with a white PSU went for about £700 recently.

This hasn’t sold yet but probably will for near that!

But as with all these things watch for long enough and you will pick up a ‘bargain’. I have bought quite a few toasties for around £100.

I was fortunate with my ZX80 which I got from Rich Mellor of sell my retro fame.

Excellent condition ABS version rather than the "margarine tub" vacuum formed jobby, white no yellowing all for a few bob over a ton in cost. Hardly surprising though as Rich is one of the few honest and decent vendors re "RARE" vintage gear and truth be told he could have pulled the sale like many do with the "sold elsewhere" schtick but being the lad he is he honoured it even at a relatively low price for a ZX80.


If you're chasing a ZX80 the later ABS ones tend to survive in a better condition than the earlier vacuum formed versions re cracks and broken corners etc though if they have been stored with the EAR/MIC cables draped over the case for any length of time, then a reaction between the case and the cables outer sheath material marks the case in a "looks like it's been burned with a soldering iron" manner.

Prices are getting silly to be honest and at the moment one person is asking half a grand for a ZX80 rampack with a broken case!
The days of a zeddy for a tenner are long gone sadly.


As for Jupiter Aces!!

Moggy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 15, 2022 11:59 am
As for Jupiter Aces!!

Quite. No amount of zeddy refurbs will allow me to afford one of those.

Nostalgia is strong these days. Here in the states, even new nobody wanted any of these things! Honestly, I was more drawn to the industrial design of the original speccy vs. its technical capabilities (that and the TS1000 was my first computer). I sure don't need any more "stuff".. I really should be simplifying. I've got everything but the zx80 and a toastie - I even have a C5 which is super rare here.