My II+ needs a lid, and there are currently three for sale on ebay, all slightly different styles. I suppose it probably doesn't matter greatly, but is there a way to match the "correct" lid for my specific apple?
This first one:
has glossy text, "riveted" fasteners, "ribs", and 3 deep cylindrical "pockets" on the underside of the front lip.
the second one:
has dull text, no rivets, no ribs, and the same deep pockets
the third one:
has glossy text, no rivets, no ribs, and shallow pockets at the front lip, as well as four more in the middle
Also, some of them are missing the mesh strips on top of the front lip, and on the underside of the rear. What's the best way to replace these?
What we really need to know is which case are you trying to match. There were several revisions to the case of the ][ Plus. As a practical matter, any of the lids will fit and work. In fact, many of these machines lived in schools and I suspect very few survived with their original lid, as lids often got swapped with neighbors during maintenance. Early cases did not have the metal mesh strips on the lid. I think you are asking which lid would be most authentic? That depends on what case you are matching. The case styles will largely divide along non-RFI and RFI models . Does your case have metal flashing on the inside rear panel? How do we date the case for a better match? Some will have a date stamped with a simple rubber ink stamp inside, near the keyboard. What do the serial number labels on the bottom look like? What is the board date written in the white box near the power connector of the motherboard? What is the model number of the motherboard?
All of these details help match a case and lid.
If I recall correctly the mesh wasn't there on early ones. The early ][ and ][+ didn't have the metal back plate either. Those things didn't come about until the "RFI" revisions. If your ][+ has a back without the little metal cover over it, then you should get a lid without the strip. If you have the metal cover, then get one with the mesh. I think the ones with the rivited locking fasteners are the latest ones, because occasionally the fasteners would pull off so they fixed that problem. So if your machine is an early RFI, maybe w/o rivets, later ones like D and up revisions, with rivits for sure I'd think.
FCF25675-9B2A-432B-ADD3-230B04246339.jpeg
I've been wondering about the metal bracket thing in the center slot. Did that come with the base unit or did it correspond to a particular expansion card?
Yours is a fairly late production ][+. As far as I've heard they made them some time through the latter part of 1982 before they switched over to producing //e units in anticipation of it's early 1983 debut. I don't know that there's an actual exact date for the cut-over. The //e was made in several different plants at different times.
The metal back panel brackets like that did not come in the base computer box. They usually came with the peripherals, like the Disk ][ controller card, Parallel Printer Card or Super Serial Card. Some cards had specialized ones and 3rd party cards usually had their own design.
Good eye for detail. Well done!
You've narrowed it down to lid #1 based on its mesh strip to match your metal back-panel and rivets on the black lid-fasteners.
For what it's worth, I envy you for having those fasteners.
My lid has the older glued-on fasteners, and they didn't stay put. As you can see, the bottom fasteners pulled away from the main case...so now both parts are stubbornly clinging to the lid.
IMG_0968.JPG
This is a common issue with the original Apple ][ and ][ Plus. It's annoying to repair because the surface is contaminated by the old adhesive and those black fasteners are made of nylon, which is incompatible with most glues.
Count yourself lucky to have those improved, Apple //e-style, riveted fasteners on your case!
Now you know what you need to match. First pick is a lid with riveted velcro tabs, metal ground mesh strip on both the top front and bottom rear of the lid. Second pick would forego the strip on the bottom, but have the strip on the fron top of the lid. Good Luck.
The bracket in the back looks like what was common with many modems. A separate piece had a phone line to the modem card and a large square phone jack which inserted into and bolted into the piece you still have. Then you did not need to get inside the case to connect and disconnect a phone line to the modem. Other peripherals also used brackets and bolt down anchors to secure any number of other cables.
Thanks for the info all, that helps a lot!
I went with #1 and already received it. My little plus is looking pretty nice now!
I am finding a couple issues though - It's fairly difficult to press down and especially pop up again. I don't expect my little plastic rivets to last very long with that much force being applied to them. I wonder if I should lubricate these fasteners with something?
Second, the rear of the lid sits a little too high compared the rest of the case, but maybe this is normal for RFI cases because of the metal shield and mesh sandwiched together there?
Had the same problem on my Apple IIe. I used a drop of silicone oil on each of the bottom ones and wiped it right away. Now the lid snaps and unsnaps with about a quarter of the previously required force.
Same situation on my Apple II+. Does anyone have any good ideas how to glue them?
"Second, the rear of the lid sits a little too high compared the rest of the case, but maybe this is normal for RFI cases because of the metal shield and mesh sandwiched together there?"
I would guess that to be the case.. Pun Intended...
The Apple ][ Lids for EMF would either need to be Thinner or the Back of the Case Shorter, because of the Metal Shielding added..
I doubt that Apple made any changes to the ][+ Case Design..
The Apple ][e has a Metal Pan that Wraps Around the Back..
MarkO
I figured out the metal bracket, it came with (later versions of?) the Disk II: https://archive.org/details/disk-ii-installation/page/n23/mode/2up
and it's supposed to not just neaten the cables, but securely lock onto them via metal flaps attached to the ribbon cable itself.