Redditor Uncovers 1960s Computer Panel in Collapsed Garage
▼ Summary
– A Reddit user found a rare 1966 RCA Spectra 70/35 computer control panel in their family’s collapsed garage and shared photos on the “retrobattlestations” subreddit.
– The panel had been left in the garage decades earlier by a former IBM employee who rented part of the user’s house, likely due to its compatibility with IBM systems.
– The garage’s poor condition hid the equipment for years until its discovery alongside a crate labeled “Return to IBM San Jose,” suspected to contain power supply components.
– The control panel, cleaned and partially restored, was a maintenance interface for the Spectra 70/35, featuring power controls, indicator lights, and debugging tools.
– Unlike typical user terminals, this panel was mounted on the main processor cabinet and included system operation switches and a “Memory Address Stop” panel.
A remarkable piece of computing history recently surfaced when a Reddit user stumbled upon a well-preserved 1960s mainframe control panel in their family’s abandoned garage. The discovery, shared on the popular “retrobattlestations” subreddit, showcases an RCA Spectra 70/35 computer control panel from 1966, a rare artifact predating the moon landing era.
The original poster, SonOfADeadMeme, detailed how the panel had gone unnoticed for years inside a crumbling garage attached to their two-family home. According to their account, a former tenant who worked at IBM had left the equipment behind decades ago, arriving with a forklift to deposit it before moving out. The garage eventually collapsed, concealing the vintage tech until its recent rediscovery.
After carefully cleaning the panel and restoring most of its keyswitches, the owner noted that operating it would require “1,500lbs of mainframe”, referring to the missing components of the original system. Alongside the control panel, they also found a crate labeled “Return to IBM San Jose,” though its contents remain unexamined due to limited space in their cluttered basement.
The RCA Spectra 70/35 was a significant mainframe computer in its day, often used alongside IBM-compatible systems. The uncovered panel served as the maintenance control interface, mounted directly on the processor cabinet. It includes critical features like a main power switch, indicator lights (Q0-Q13), system operation controls, and a “Memory Address Stop” panel for debugging, all clearly marked with the “70/35 SYSTEM” label.
Unlike modern computers, the Spectra 70 typically relied on teletype machines or video terminals for user interaction. This control panel, however, was designed for direct system management, offering technicians hands-on access to monitor and troubleshoot the machine. Vintage computing enthusiasts praised the find, marveling at its condition given decades of neglect.
The story highlights how forgotten relics of tech history can resurface in unexpected places, waiting to be rediscovered by curious explorers. While the panel may never power up again without its missing components, it stands as a fascinating glimpse into the early days of computing.
(Source: Ars Technica)
