Upgrade your original 1984 Macintosh to run OS X Snow Leopard.

The original Macintosh took the the world by storm with its small form factor, and above standard speeds. This project aims to show you how to upgrade your original 1984 macintosh to the specification of a modern day machine.

The original Macintosh had an 8mhz processor, my upgrades will boost it to a speed 200x faster than that. Giving us enough speed to install Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

My main objectives were.

1. Do not alter, cut, deform, change, or break the original Mac in anyway, I wanted to be able to return it to its original state if I chose to.
2. Not to let myself cut costs on the project just to make it more 'amazinger' (cheap instructables are great, but we do see a lot of 'wow make an awesome uber computer for like $10 dollars yeah'. This was an epic project, I cut costs where I could, and used recycled parts, but I spared no expense in making this the best I could. This 1984 Macintosh deserved no less.

Here are a few glory shots, then we delve into the bulk of it, I started this project in June '09, but getting married, and moving house did put a bit of a delay on finishing it. 

Be sure to vote for me in the Dead Computer Contest, the Netbook prize would allow me to upgrade my 1984 Macintosh to being wireless, portable, and a 9inch screen to boot.
We all want to see pictures in the newspaper/on the internet of me sat on the train, or chilling in starbucks with a 1984 Macintosh now, don't we?

I also encourage creative constructive comments.

The first ten constructive comments get an ampersand vintage mac patch! 

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials

• An original dead 1984 Macintosh (There was a wide range of this style of Mac, keep your eye out on ebay for a defunct one, because this one was broken, I got it for £25)
• Several A3 sheets of Styrene or Plasticard.
• Clear Perspex/Acrylic 3-6mm in depth
• Mini ITX Motherboard (I went for the low power Intel Atom single core)
• Small PSU (mine was salvaged from a dead Dell Optiplex, you could buy a new one, but thats not very green is it?)
• A harddrive and Ram
• A Nanovision Mimo USB 7" screen (you can get models that power off your PSU but use a VGA connection, the Nanovision uses USB for both power and signal)
• A pair of Apple Pro Speakers
• USB and Ethernet extension cables

Tools

• Drill
• Dremel type tool
• Hot air gun
• Stanley knife/Box cutter with plenty of spare blades
• Metal Rule
• Epoxy resin
• Superglue
• Double sided plastic tape (optional, but useful)
• Pliers

Comments

[phoenix6743]

This is the coolest instructable. Wow

[contactscolored]

Those pictures are amazing. I made this with my science class, but never that much. Wowzer.

[softenersreviews]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I did this project in school- many years ago and forgot how to do it. Now that I have a son I have been wanting to share this with him.

[JensonBut]

Those instructions are amazing.
Please, share more instructions!

[jkelley11]

Can this same kind of hacking and modding be used for a Macintosh SE? Or any other first generation Macs?

[Tomcat94]

I need to know where I can find an old classic macintosh. I've literally looked everywhere for one, and I just can't find one (well, not at a reasonable price). And they're all working too, which is not what I need... Can anybody help?

[bethmwl]

oldcomputers.net

happened across this site just yesterday. Wonderful romp thru old computers and companies history, etc LOVE IT. They also have people listing systems to sell or buy!

I hadn't looked close at cost, workability, etc; but thought it may be a good place to look.

[s2gz]

any public schools near you? i went to my old highschool and picked up an old mac, classic mice and other junk that they just had in storage.

[willrandship]

My school auctioned them all off, they went for about $20 apiece. Oh well, I guess I'll just do a different case mod. :P

[Doc-Watt]

I have at least 6 classics, Mac, Mac+ and newer, most work. Can ship within US with or without internals. Without would be cheaper shipping. Have keyboards and mice for same. And older software.
Live in middle of USA, 2 miles from its dead center.

[gmjhowe]

Before this project I had been checking ebay semi occasionally for about 6 months, saw this one for about £20 and snapped it up.

[Tomcat94]

I've been doing the same for about two weeks now. I'm trying to nab one for about $15, and I just might get it at an affordable price. If it works, I'll keep it in good running order. If not, then I'll gut it and do something cool, like this instructable. :)

[Tomcat94]

I finally found one. :D And it wasn't as expensive as I thought it would be! I don't know if it works or not, but if it doesn't, I'll be using this instructable. Thank you!

[Kasm279]

Let us know what doesn't work and we can probably help you fix it :D

[Tomcat94]

I just got it in today. I plugged it into a power source, and I heard the startup "bong" macs make, but the screen remained black while the hard drive and fan was spinning. I intend to fix it before I do this instructable, so I can have the option of putting it back together if I want. :)

[zack247]

have you figured this out? i have a quadra 601 that does the same thing. i found it dumpster diving, no power supply was with it, and the case was a little broken at the back. not ot mention it had some water from some rain. (i got it just after it rained, so i let it dry out for a couple days) if you figured this out, could you send me a pm on how you did?

[bethmwl]

oldcomputers.net

happened across this site just yesterday. Wonderful romp thru old computers and companies history, etc LOVE IT. They also have people listing systems to sell or buy!

[cadams21]

Its missing http://www.instructables.com/id/Retro-Wireless-Apple-Mouse/ also needs a paint job

[TheRealDutchOwner]

You could add a USB floppy to match the slot on the front. Just connect it inside of the case, it works on Windows and Mac OS X.

[tinker234]

for the screen i was wondering if i could use a a replica of the org anal and hook it up to work on usb power so it could run

[jlauve]

Thanks for the great article, and for sharing the great results to your effort. I recently retrieved my old original 512ke from the attic with the intent of doing something with it. You have inspired me. Now, on to some USB screen action. Again, Thanks.

[kamakiri]

Coming from one who bought the 512kE when it first came out, that's an astonishing piece of work. Too bad you can't take it back in time to 1984, plunk it down onto Steve Jobs' desk and say "How do you like MY operating system?"

I eventually made my 512kE into a cactus garden (a functioning aquarium was too difficult) and it looked great, with lights and everything.

I stumbled on here looking for completely the opposite -- some kind of shareware that would emulate on my MacBook the desktop of the original Macintosh . . . you know, desk accessories, trash bin, everything. Anyone seen anything like that around? Email nickATmontrealfood.com.

Good job, mate!

[gmjhowe]

Mini VMac

http://minivmac.sourceforge.net/screens/index.html

An emulator that runs on Mac OS and Windows, go check it out!

I was tempted to put some much cheaper slower hardware in the mac and just run this on it.

Thanks for the comment!

[amarelli]

Beautiful work but....on a 128 k 1984 mac :-( Tried to resurrect it?

[gmjhowe]

Afraid I did not have the tools to make it into a working system. I did however package all the internals into a box, so it could be rebuilt in the future.

[spiceyweasel]

What was the total cost of the build?

[gmjhowe]

I spent £100gbp on the USB screen that I used (Note I had already bought this, and did not specifically buy it for the project. You can get small screens that run of a 12v power from the computer's PSU.

I got the original mac for a steal of £30gbp incl postage off ebay.

The PSU was a compact one from an old Dell, the entire dell was also £30gbp off ebay.

The motherboard was the first generation of the intel Atom mini itx boards, and was £60gbp incl ram from ebuyer.

The hard drive was given to me by my friend.

Add in a few other costs, £20 on cables/adapter/extenders, £15 on the iMac style speakers, £10 for perspex and styrene.

Total of £245 if you shop around a bit, and scrounge some parts from places.

[spiceyweasel]

Assuming one would be able to get it all, that's close to $400 USD. There are first generation Intel Mac Minis on eBay right now you can win or buy outright for almost half of that, which would eliminate the hassle and peculiarities involved with OSx86. I rebuilt a G4 Cube using a late 2009 Mini and added a few items to it. It sports 4 HD's for 2TB total storage and a Blu Ray player along with the original disc burner. I am going to build another one using a 2011 Mini so I can stuff 16GB of RAM in it and probably forgo the disc burner seeing as I rarely use it.

[gmjhowe]

Well the largest expenditure was the screen, which you would of course still need to buy if using a Mac Mini!

I just recently swapped out the disc burner in my Macbook Pro for a second storage drive (An SSD) because I realised I had not used it once since buying the Macbook Pro!

[lgarofalo]

I have a friend whose husband has passed and she is interested in selling ALL of her old macs and apples. I mean... I have a list of items some may be interested in. If anybody is up for it... Let me know, You would have to pay the shipping of course. Let me know! :-D

[brightpuma]

I'd like to see that list. Please send to: brightpuma (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thanks!

[jmoss4]

why didnt you use a mac mini

[spiceyweasel]

I'd say it is cost prohibitive. That's why I just asked about the cost of the build. You can get a used Intel Mini now for around $350 on eBay. You'll be constrained to a DDR2 running model at that price and be lucky to get a processor above 2GHz, but it will run everything up to Snow Leopard without a hitch. I'm not sure about Lion.....

[Furloy]

Anybody else have the Cube? Beautiful...

[bishopdante]

that bezel is... rather big! Screen is mini mini!

Would love to see a mac plus double or triple size, now I think about it hehe, bung an old 20 inch CRT in there.

3D scanner, CNC cutter...

Hilarious.

[zack247]

hey I just finished building a pc in a mac 7200 case, check it out!

http://www.instructables.com/id/A-PC-in-a-Mac/

and i thank you very much for your inspiration, i never would have tried this before.

[hobbyman]

hey, my project is in progress :)
The heart of my mac has already started beating.

of course on the way I'm having difficulties and the project is still incomplete for now.

the details are at

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=195441&id=701145747&l=23248ac568

:D I'll be posting new pics to the facebook album and will make an instructable in the end.

Thanks again, for the inspiration.

[gmjhowe]

Wow, firstly, let me say thanks for posting some pics! I look forward to the final thing. (hit me another comment when its done)

It looks like it is coming together very nicely, Good idea using a cheap netbook, Easy cheap way to get a compact computer with a built in screen.

Looking through your pictures on face book, I also have a few suggestions/criticisms, if you want to hear them. Might be best to do so via facebook, as I can comment on each picture accordingly, you should see a friend request, be sure to hit me up on facebook chat also.

[hobbyman]

I still didn't see your friendship request on facebook? :D

[king kolton9]

(removed by author or community request)