The first time I got interested in Disk Drives, I moseyed around town and looked at some State of the Art DD’s. They were big ole 8 inch jobbies for the early CP/M computer systems and their price tags were over $800 each. Even at that price, my mouth watered for one. Then I found out that they broke quite often and to get one fixed they’d look at it for $200 and tell me what the price to fix it would be. Then came along the 5 1/4 inch DD’s, still prone to quit after a few hours of operation, and still very costly to get fixed. Some of these early 5 1/4 inch drives are offered by mail order for as low as $25.
I thought that I had located a Disk Drive Repair service that I could recommend to Update subscribers. I had one of those oldies that quit on me. A young fellow in town has a good shop equipped with diagnostic test equipment for DD’s. So I took the sick DD to his shop and a week later it was fixed. The price tag was $55 plus tax. A quick look in Update Magazine found NEW drives advertised for $50.
Now thats kinda like tother day when my Grand Son called with a deal. I had tole him that when the used car lot that he works at gets a HEAVY car with LOTS of POWER, to call me. I wanted something to tow a boat with. The thing that he had for me was a eight year old Lincoln Lemonzine that had been owned by a 92 year old lady who had a hired driver / male nurse combo. The only times the Lincoln was ever used since new was to take the lil ole lady to Church services on Sundays. Tom allowed that the price was $800 fer the Lincoln if I took it direct from the lady afore the car lot got holt of it. Now dont that sound like a used car salesman a talkin? I said, “bring it on over Son, but iff’n you’re lyin at me I’ll dis-enherit you”. Well, that thing took up alla the driveway and looked like somebod musta died at the house and the Funeral director was inside. But it a WAS a HEAVY car and it had LOTSA power, and the speedometer said 48000, but you and me knows that a speedometer readin is about as reliable as politician’s promises. I lifted the hood and gazed at a motor bout the size of a Nuke power plant that was so clean you coulda had lunch on it. Somebody had paid bout 40 grand for this bundle of bolts about eight years ago. I checked the oil and it was right on full, so I decided to give it the ole BJ test. The BJ test calls fer lockin the gas pedal to the floor board for exactly an hour to see if the thing flies apart or uses oil. Now Dothan ALA sits up thar bout 60 mile up in the Alabam peanut patch. I made the trip up and back in a few minutes shy of an hour. Durin that hour chickens were scatterin every which a ways and some Canadians turnt around and went home thinking that FLA aint the place to be iffen that guy’s hurrin that much to get away frum it. Talk bout speedin, I used to take off in a F-101 from a RCAF base at Whitehorse in Canada at 12 noon and get to Fairbanks Alaska at 10 AM, two hours afore I took off, cause I went through three time zones in an hour of flight. So, I’m kinda usta going faster’n ole Speedy Gonzales, but the natives aint usta seein a car the length of a football field that peers to be an airplane without wings the way it’s skinnin along. And since I’m gone afore they get a good glance, they dont know whut they sawed. There was a piece in the paper next day bout a grey cigar shaped flyin saucer reported by several folks up on Hwy 231. Well let me tell you that the dip stick still showed full when I got back, and now I keep my Boat towin car in the garage to keep the folks from thinkin I’m dead as a mackerel. Course, I had to extend the garage so’s the Lincoln would fit in it. Thet didn’t cost me but about $24000. But iffn the lemonzine ever needs fixin, I’ll jest let it slide into the drink at the launchin ramp. Didja ever take a Lincoln to the shop for fixin?
Alla that may have some hidden wisdum about disk drives. They’re cheap now and the repair cost usually exceeds new replacement cost. But the real rezon fer tolen you this wuz to getcha laffin with me so’s you’ll enjoy the rest of the magazine.