Strange Performa 475 (Prototype or early "Dev" model?)

[jajan547]

Hi everyone I picked up this Performa 475 and its strange to say the least. For starters it has a ROM slot, CUDA reset switch, and "PRIMUS" by the board serial number. This was made four months before the October release of these machines. I believe this was a machine Apple probably sent out to repair centers to familiarize themselves with the machines before public release. Also note the incredibly strange case. Pictures below, any ideas or information is greatly appreciated.

 

[joshc]

It's not a prototype. I've seen these before. Apple prototypes tend to use cases with no badging at all. The thing with Apple back then, they did a lot of strange things that didn't make a whole lot of sense to us now. There were LC 475s that used the LC III case, and ones that used the 475 style case.

At best, this is just an early production machine, hence why it would have a ROM slot so that a ROM card could be offered in case there was a bug/issue with the onboard ROMs. This is why they started putting ROM slots on machines in the first place. It's not common for machines to be manufactured several months before they were made available to the public. Apple's manufacturing and supply chains were quite a mess back then compared to how they operate now.

As for the CUDA switch, yep some 475s had these, I've seen a bunch with them.

PRIMUS was just the codename for the 475, it being included on the serial number doesn't mean it's a prototype.

 

[joshc]

Excused the hilariously rusted DB25 port there, but here's a 475 board I worked on,see the CUDA switch and it still has the space for the ROM slot - just not populated on boards produced later on. Also said PRIMUS next to the serial number but this was just out of an ordinary 475.

 

[joshc]

Here's another variation I had with weird badging, but still not a prototype.

 

[joshc]

Another reason you find 475s in the earlier style case is that a logic board upgrade from LC I / II / III was an option - so some of those machines are upgraded earlier models. That's most likely what the one I just posted was, hence the sticker over the silkscreen badge.

 

[jajan547]

Another reason you find 475s in the earlier style case is that a logic board upgrade from LC I / II / III was an option - so some of those machines are upgraded earlier models. That's most likely what the one I just posted was, hence the sticker over the silkscreen badge.

That’s so strange I wonder why?

 

[jajan547]

Another reason you find 475s in the earlier style case is that a logic board upgrade from LC I / II / III was an option - so some of those machines are upgraded earlier models. That's most likely what the one I just posted was, hence the sticker over the silkscreen badge.

My case is slightly bigger than a stock LC475, a weird thing to not is with the jumper usually it will ID as an LC475 or Performa 475 well with the jumper off it says it’s an LC475 (with the software I used) and with the jumper it’s a Quadra 605. Was this possibly what I said about maybe a unit to learn on?

 

[joshc]

That’s so strange I wonder why?

Why they offered the upgrade? So people with an earlier model could get a 475 without paying full price. Apple offered logicboard upgrades for a lot of machines back then.

My case is slightly bigger than a stock LC475,

Hmm? The case you've posted looks the same as ones I've had.

a weird thing to not is with the jumper usually it will ID as an LC475

That's normal with the gestalt ID jumper. With it not there it's an 475 and with a jumper it identifies as a 605.

 

[Paulie]

Was this possibly what I said about maybe a unit to learn on?

Nope. Apple did all sorts of weird things in this period. Using up older cases before transitioning to a newer design for the same model was one of them.

Edit: Also the only difference between the 475 and the earlier LCs was the logic board, everything else is interchangeable. Not really much to 'learn' on these.

 

[jajan547]

Nope. Apple did all sorts of weird things in this period. Using up older cases before transitioning to a newer design for the same model was one of them.

Edit: Also the only difference between the 475 and the earlier LCs was the logic board, everything else is interchangeable. Not really much to 'learn' on these.

I understand but still I’ve seen Only a couple of LC’s like this but never one with the Performa badging.

 

[joshc]

LCs were sold as Performas and Quadras. The LC II was also sold as the Performa 400, 405, 410 and 430. The LC III was Performa 450. The LC III+ was 460, 466, 467. They probably had this generic Performa badged one as an easy/cheap way to use up cases and just stick different labels on them. The only thing that distinguishes different LC models really is the logicboard.

 

[Ajediday]

Here is a picture of mine after soaking and before re-capping, it does have the Primus name on it. The case did have the indents for the floppy drive.

 

[jajan547]

Here is a picture of mine after soaking and before re-capping, it does have the Primus name on it. The case did have the indents for the floppy drive.View attachment 40042

What’s the date code on yours?

 

[Ajediday]

It does say manufactured August 1993 on the label under the front lip or is there another place to look?

 

[jajan547]

It does say manufactured August 1993 on the label under the front lip or is there another place to look?

Yeah that’s it hmmm strange? Got a picture.

 

[Ajediday]

Yeah that’s it hmmm strange? Got a picture.

 

[jajan547]

View attachment 40043

What’s the case look like?

 

[Ajediday]

The front of the case.

 

[MacKilRoy]

The front of the case.

I wonder if this was an LC 3 that was logic board upgraded to LC475. Apple may have replaced the front sticker badge.

 

[jajan547]

I wonder if this was an LC 3 that was logic board upgraded to LC475. Apple may have replaced the front sticker badge.

Couldn’t have it was serial numbered as a Performa 475 4 months before release which is why I’m confused by it.