GoKawiilA luggable legend that looked fine on the outside but hid a storm inside: fused screws, rotten steel, corrosion laden boards, and the long road back to that iconic blue screen.
Why I didn't walk away
I picked up the SX‑64 at the 2025 VCFSW show in Dallas, thinking the classic line: "How bad could it be?"
The gentleman who brought it to me mentioned it might have some water damage, but on the outside it looked pretty respectable, certainly no worse than others I'd seen. The aluminum alloy case and plastics had held up with just minor scuffs and scratches, which made it easy to believe the machine wasn't too far gone. However, the unsettling noise inside (like sand moving in a jar) told me there was more to the story.
I didn't dare power it on, but I also didn't yet realize how deep the damage went. I made an offer, the deal was done, and I slid it under my table for the rest of the show before bringing it home and shelving it until a couple of weeks ago.
First look: deceptive condition
Once home, I cracked it open and the story changed instantly. All that rattling was rust flakes from the inside. The internal chassis was almost completely rotted away, screws were hopelessly fused to the frame, boards carried deposits and corrosion, and metal shields were badly eaten away. What looked like a slightly dirty portable at the show turned out to be what appeared to be a salt‑water survivor in far worse condition than I imagined.
The drive motor told the real story: inside, this machine looked more like shipwreck salvage.
Closeup of chassis and power supply damage Extensive decay Are the electronics ruined too? Chassis is destroyed You can see it is rotted through ‹ ›
Problem #1: the fasteners were effectively welded in place. Penetrating oil and patience weren't enough.
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