As you know, maintaining accuracy with my Apple 1 replica has been a high priority. I had been able to find nearly every component used on the original Apple 1 computers with one major exception: the LM323K Voltage Regulator. Vintage LM323Ks were created with a gold base. This had a drastically different aesthetic from the steel ones sold today. I looked everywhere for a vintage LM323K but had zero luck. This was really the last remaining component that I could not find for an accurate Apple 1. Well, I finally found one on an old piece of hardware and successfully performed a transplant. Here’s the new look compared to the old.

As you can see there is quite a big difference in the look of the two, and for me is always the first major indicator I notice determining if an Apple 1 is original.