Resources
I’ve always loved making things myself and modifying whatever I own—whether it’s a computer, a watch, or even a car. Among them, the Macintosh has been especially fun. Even when I bought one brand new, I loved the fact that with some tweaks and modifications, it could turn into something far beyond what I expected. Through tinkering with the Macintosh, I was able to create all sorts of hacking hardware items.
Looking ahead, I think the natural direction is to introduce a menu of modifications for each model. That, in the truest sense, is what I believe Kero’s Mac Mods is all about.
*It's currently under construction but will be uploaded soon.
Most of the mods you see in these resources are ones I’ve actually done myself, not just something I read or heard somewhere and copied down. Of course, my own work isn’t perfect and there might still be rough edges, so if you spot anything, I’d really appreciate it if you let me know.
Mods by Mac Models
I'll be adding pages to cover all vintage Mac models in the future, and I'll keep trying to keep my passion alive...
This is the ancestor of the Mac model, and it all started here. The GUI has been improved over time, so it still contains some parts that are quite difficult to use. It can be said to be an incomplete specification, but at the same time, even a little modification can increase the fun.
This was the third generation Macintosh model, and the first Mac since the IIgs to use ADB. The major change was the inclusion of SCSI, which revamped the platform. This model was also the first to offer 4MB of RAM, a major advantage at the time.
This is an enhanced version of the MacPlus, and the motherboard has been updated to include ADB (same as the IIgs) and a PDS slot for expandability. It also has an exhaust fan, improved bus arbitration, and more cycles for the CPU to access memory than the Plus.
SE/30
A well-known Macintosh masterpiece. If the 128K is a Macintosh with historical value, this is called "the pinnacle of compact Macintosh." It had a 32-bit address bus, MMU, and FPU on board, and memory could be increased to 128MB. My favorite Macintosh of all time...
This is a model that follows the lineage of the earlier Macintosh SE/Plus. It was the first low-end Mac priced under $1,000. Although internal expansion is limited, performance can be slightly improved through hard drive or memory upgrades. Its case features the curved front panel design first seen in the Quadra series.
It is the successor to the Classic and, compared to the SE/30, is positioned as a low-end model with cost savings. Although it shares the same 16 MHz 68030 CPU as the SE/30, the SE/30 has a 32-bit bus and faster memory access, whereas the Classic II has a 16-bit bus, limiting internal bandwidth.
Color
Classic
This is the first compact Mac with a color CRT. Its shell case is charming, almost like a small dog sitting there. The CPU is a 68030 running at 16 MHz, but it inherits the 16-bit memory bus from the Classic lineage, making memory access slow. Expansion slot is available, giving a wide range of possibilities for mods.
Color
Classsic II
This is the successor to the Color Classic, featuring a redesigned logic board that improves overall performance. It is equipped with a 33 MHz 68030 CPU, and memory can be expanded up to 32 MB, making it an excellent machine even as-is.